Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/663373
62 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } APRIL/MAY 2016 Verde Interesting . . . The rest of the lineup in tasting order. Quinta de Azevedo Branco, 95% Loureiro, 5% Pederna ($9.99) Hampered by an unexpressive nose and a palate of unripe white fruit, unripe white pear : "no real fruit," "white flower and honey but little left on the palate." Resembled an off-dry Riesling. EVATON INC./SOGRAPE Quinta de Raza "Dom Diego" Arinto ($16.99) Candied, tropical fruit flavors overwhelmed, giving the wine a synthetic aroma "like pineapple bubblegum." More of a consumer crowd pleaser than for restaurant lists, the panel says, "Bring it for Grandma." VISION WINE BRANDS Casal do Ventozela Loureiro ($13.99) This runner-up for Best in Show was tropical, fleshy and perfumed with some greenness causing the panel to make up exotic fruits such as "Chilean kiwi pulp" and "dragonfruit star anise." Drink ice cold at a picnic. VOS SELECTIONS Arca Nova Alvarinho ($14.99) Candied fruit aromas; almost a nutty quality to it with some length, concentration and acidity. FRONTIER WINE IMPORTS Quinta da Lixa Pouco-Comum, Alvarinho ($15.99) Disjointed and lacking har- mony because of the tropical fruit up front and cinnamon spice and clove on the mid-palate. Spiced Anjou pear and residual sugar overwhelmed the freshness. WINE IN MOTION Deu le Deu, Alvarinho ($19.99) Old-school fizz with higher perceived sugar. "Fleeting in character." AIDIL WINES Quinta de Gomariz, Avesso ($10.99) More intense in flavor than some of the others, but "blinged out, like Gucci." P.R. GRISLEY Aphros Ten ($22) The only red in the group, assessment ranged from "exotic and yeasty" to "lean and mean." Smoky Syrah-like hints; some coffee aspect. Not as intense as desired. (A white Aphros Vinhão was corked and could not be evaluated.) SKURNIK WINES Thanks to Wines of Vinho Verde for providing samples identity and not tr ying to be something it was not. But for the most par t, "for wines that are supposed to be about freshness, they lack freshness," Taylor said in conclusion. "I think they're tr ying to get a fleshiness because they don't want the wines to be too lean . . . [but] in doing that, they take away the quality that is their benchmark quality." Dean noted much of the aberrations, such as dark baking spice in one wine, didn't "make sense unless you're manipulating. This seems to be the most indicative of try - ing to take it to another place" and failing. Mike noted that though many of the wines didn't pass muster, he recognized an attempt and an ambition. "If they could move out of the desire to capture these candied fruit aromas, the wines would be better," he said. "I think with the market tastes changing all the time, they are chas - ing something that is moving quickly, and it's going to change soon enough. So, I think if they figure out what they have, how to make it honestly and without chasing the flavor of the market, I think they'll be okay." The panel also recognized that if drunk in context—by the seaside or in a casual and convivial setting—the wines might present themselves in a different manner.