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Monte da Vigia

 Monte da Vigia

Reserva 2017

vinho tinto—30%Trincadeira 30%Aragonêz

20%Alicante Bouschet 20%Cabernet Sauvignon


When you’ve been drinking coffee all day and need something to help unwind, finding the ideal red can be a balancing act—I don’t want something to go straight to my head and increase the raciness from the caffeine, now do I need much more acidity shriveling away my insides; on the other hand something low in alcohol won’t serve to calm my heart and warm the blood on a December’s night and over-sweetness is out of the question.

That said, from the first sip this affordable tinto is fruit-forward, medium-bodies and well-balanced. The linalool-rich aroma of the grape blend fills one’s nostrils, expanding to flare out like a stallion kicking in its stall as the palate thrills to this smooth nectar of ruby lambency.

Portuguese reds under twelve dollars are hit-or-miss and while I know I can never really go wrong at my neighborhood liquor store, I am really happy I made this decision with my wallet, as the fifteen-dollar Spanish red I was looking at probably wouldn’t have hit the spot quite like this.

The feeling I get as it winds its course now to my head is a nostalgic feeling of peace and youth—maybe it’s the Christmas lights or the Vaughan Williams on the stereo, but this wine feels like—coming home. After a busy week, with the heat on against the cold outside and a cozy sweater, enjoying food and family, or friends and fun, grab yourself a bottle of Monte da Vigia and screw that cork—you’ll be glad you did!

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