Attributes:

Royal Oporto

Portugal, Other

Dry Red Table Wine

750 ML

Food Matches:

Well known for its Port and Vinho Verde wines, Portugal is one of Europe’s leading wine producing countries. It competes closely with Germany for the position of fourth largest wine producer in Europe. Portugal is also the worlds leading producer of cork. Single-handedly it accounts for nearly 70 percent of the worlds commercially traded cork supply.

Attributes:

Brancott Vineyards

Marlborough, Australia/New Zealand

Sauvignon Blanc

750 ML

2006: WineSpectator Rating: 87

grass, lime, stone

2005: CGCW Rating: 86

clean

pleasant

melon

fruity, sweet

2004: WineSpectator Rating: 86

tangy, tart

2004: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86

bright, fresh, tangy

pleasant

herbal, pineapple

2003: WineSpectator Rating: 88

grapefruit, melon

2003: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86

tangy

melon, peppery

juicy

2002: WineSpectator Rating: 90

lively, tangy

2002: WineSpectator Rating: 87

crisp, lively

citrus, melon

Food Matches:

Comes mostly from California, France, New Zealand, and South Africa. Its highly acidic wines are often suggestive of herbs or grass. Light to medium bodied and usually dry, European versions are generally not oaky while California Sauvignon Blanc can take on many of the qualities of Chardonnay. France has two classic wine regions for the Sauvignon Blanc gape: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley The Bordeaux wine is called Bordeaux Blanc and the two best known of the Loire wines are called Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes blended with Sémillon.

When the first growers planted grapes in Marlborough in the 1970s (there is evidence of plantings as early as 1870s), it is unlikely they would have foreseen the extent of the growth and fame that the region’s wine industry would achieve, based upon a single varietal called Sauvignon Blanc. The distinctive pungency and zest fruit flavours of the first Marlborough wines, in particular Sauvignon Blanc, captured the imagination of the country's winemakers as well as international wine commentators and consumers and sparked an unparalleled boom in vineyard development. Worldwide interest in Marlborough wines, particularly Sauvignon Blanc, has continued to fuel that regional wine boom.

Attributes:

Quinta do Vale Dona Maria

Douro, Other

Dry Red Table Wine

750 ML

Food Matches:

Demarcated in 1756, the Douro wine region contains 40,000 hectares of vines in the valley carved by the Douro River between Spain and Porto. Divided into three sub zones; Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior. In the past, production in the Douro focused on port, however, the recent trend is favoring the red table wines. More than 90 grapes are permitted in the making of Douro table wines. Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz are considered the best grapes for red table wines. Malvasia, Fina and Viosinho are the preferred white wine grapes. The Douro generally has hot, dry summers and very cold winters.