Boys and Girls in the Douro

Cado
Romeira de Cima
Douro, Portungal
Rating: 8.8

Wow. The flavor-to-dollar ratio is all screwed up now.

I had tried this about 6-8 months ago, and I remembered thinking highly of it. But holy crap this lived up to my memory.

Most importantly, I just spend a total of maybe $20-22 on what amounts to a meal for 4, wine included. Now I live alone (technically I have a roommate, but he "stays over" at his girlfriends 6.85 days a week), so this means that a: I have leftovers, and b: I might drink the entire bottle right now.

That's fine with me. Trust me, this is one of the best values I've seen in awhile, if you're looking for grit, dark fruit, spice, and earth in your wine.

Granted this will probably be about $13-15 retail, the Cado Douro is not going to be both muscular and elegant. Good luck getting that below $40. And anyway, Portugal isn't really known for cheap and elegant wines.

I paired this up with a a 3-cheese Ziti with Mushroom Sauce and Chorizo that kicked major ass, but took almost 2 hours to cook. Knowing that the meal would take awhile I humored myself by starting the night with a Wittekerke and then a glass of Stonehaven Chardonnay (I'll rate this 6.9 - clean, easy, no more).

As the meal was nearing the moment of truth, I couldn't help myself any longer. I had to try this demon.

I popped the bastard open, poured a glass, and took a whiff. And at first the Cado was a bit of a free-for-all, with scents of hot, sticky clay taking precedent. But patience is a virtue. I, in time, was starting to get a feel for the fruit of the Cado, with some great plum undertones and some meatiness. It's amazing what leaving a wine in your glass for 15 minutes will do.

And at first sip, the wine's flavor was exactly what the nose predicted: Hot earth, plum, and tannins. But it developed even more, into a its own little niche of complexity, muscle, and my sweet-spot for big, strong wines that do it without choking me with oak.

With patience, I found a wine with beautiful clay and earth, blackberry jamminess, and just a slight reminder of chocolate, along with hints of Port-esque characteristics of caramel and raisins (this is the same region in which Port is made). This handled all the spice of the chorizo, and the hard texture of the Parmesan, Romano, and Reggianito.

I try not to be an advocate for any particular wine. But if you want tenacity, spice, and dark fruit from something that still makes you want to fall in love, then this is it.

With that in mind, for those of you (us) that have been asleep for the last few years, go check out The Hold Steady.

Trust me and the 78 other people who've already told you to.

-Justin