Something weird, wonderful and old from Portugal

[Saina Nieminen]

Tonight I shared one more wacky Portuguese delight with a friend of mine:

Where is this from in Portugal? Is it fortified? Was it originally made in an oxidative style? Does anyone know anything about the producer that has a whole four hits on Google?

Whatever the story behind it, the Virgolino Jos Torroaes Vinho Branco Especial 1930 was wonderful. When served this blind, I was thinking of Palo Cortado: delightful rancio aromas, nutty, captivating. Dry, with wonderful bite, but perhaps not as much alcohol as PC would have? I can't tell if this is fortified and the label doesn't have any indication of alcohol. What a wonderful surprise. Whatever it is, I thought it was lovely.

 

[Jeff Connell]

Not a lot to go on. Here's a little guess work: Vinho Branca, no, not fortified. Bottle age is a more likely explanation than original winemaking style for the oxidative character. And it is from the Ribatejo - Salvaterra de Magos. Likely varieties would be Arinto, Ferno Pires, and Talia (aka Trebbiano - hey, maybe you are right about the oxidative wine-making, maybe Torroaes was the Portugese Valentini precursor).