Well it’s nearly the end of February and I’m finally beginning to catch my breath.  For me, the onset of 2012 has been akin to a blur inside of a whirlwind.  Normally after the end of the holidays, we experience a brief respite before the second wave of the “snowbird” migration hits the west coast of Florida.  The lull usually lasts no more than a couple of weeks, but it affords me the opportunity to benchmark a bit and get ahead.  This year the wave came early and I haven’t had the luxury. 

Adding to the usual hubbub is a quirk our management decided to press for ahead of schedule: complete remodels in several of my wine departments in advance of the “slow season” (post-Easter).  No complaints here, mind you, as the work needed to be done.  It’s just that wholesale tweaks like these typically occur later in the year when most of our northern guests have, well, gone back up north!

I must admit that this new concept is a total “win-win,” though.  Both our guests and sales staffs agree that the redesign makes for a superior shopping experience.  Personally, I believe that all the hard work will reap dividends.  And maybe when the remodels are complete, I can look forward to some travel time in wine country.  Until then I’ll settle on a tour of the great wine regions of the world from the confines of a Riedel tasting glass.  And we have some terrific new additions from Portugal that have just hit ABCFWS.

New-style unfortified Douro reds are now more than a passing fad.  And we’ve recently received two fine examples from Quinta do Crasto, a winery that was one of the pioneers of the movement back in the 90’s.  First up is the Quinta do Crasto Superior ’09 ($24.99), a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Sousão aged 12 months in French oak.  Purple in the glass, this wine is rich and ripe with black plums and raspberries, fine depth and some nice minerality on the finish.  It’s a full-bodied, expressive red that is enjoyable now with an extended decanting.

Even better is the lush Quinta do Crasto Reserva Vinhas Velhas ’09 ($44.99) made from 70+ year old vines and aged 16 months in French and American oak.  Sporting an indigo rim, the bouquet is immense with violet, all-spice, and black fruits, red plum, mission fig and chocolate sauce on the palate.  A big-boned red with a long finish, it is accessible now but will definitely reward short term cellaring. 

It’s no secret that growing conditions in the Douro can be extreme at times.  The 2009 vintage in the region was drought plagued throughout the growing season with precipitation near 40 percent below normal; kudos all around to winemaker Dominic Morris and his team for getting the most out of what little rain Mother Nature afforded.

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida

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