PORTUGAL

Douro

Quinta de la Rosa - Table Wines/ Port

Quinta da Poreira - Table Wines

Quinta de la Rosa - Pinhao

This estate is located at Pinhão in the heart of the upper Douro. It is run by Tim Bergqvist and his daughter Sophia.The quality is high as attested by the many gold silver and bronze medals awarded at the International Wine Challenge. In 1995 they were awarded the Fortified Wine Maker of the Year Trophy. This Estate also produces table wines of exceptional quality. Already winning respect internationally, this is an estate to watch.

Current availability

White
2007 Dourosa Branco - 85 Wine Advocate
2010 Dourosa Branco
2010 Quinta de la Rosa Brancho

Rose
2008 Dourosa Rose

Red
2007 Dourosa Tinto - 84 Wine Advocate
2009 Dourosa Tinto -
2008 Quinta de la Rosa Tinto - 88 Wine Advocate
2005 Quinta de la Rosa Tinto Reserva - 89 Wine Advocate
2008 Quinta de la Rosa Tinto Reserva - 92 Wine Advocate

Dessert / Fortified
NV La Rosa Tawny Port
NV La Rosa Lote No 601 Ruby Port
NV La Rosa White Port
NV La Rosa Finest Reserve Port
NV La Rosa Tonel No. 12 10 Year Old Year Tawny Port
2003 La Rosa Traditional Late Bottled Vintage
1998 La Rosa Vintage Port
1999 La Rosa Vale Do Inferno Vintage Port
2000 La Rosa Vintage Port
2003 La Rosa Vintage Port

Reviews:

excerpt from WineAnorak.com

Date of tasting give in month/year format in brackets

douROSA Branco 2010
Lively and focused with good acid. Pithy with grapefruit notes, some citrus fruit and good acidity. 88/100 (06/11)

Quinta de la Rosa Branco 2010
A portion is oak fermented. Some nutty notes as well as minerals, citrus and grapefruit. Very lively and bright with good acidity. Subtle oak influence. 90/100 (06/11)

douROSA Tinto 2009
Fresh, supple and lively with nice berry fruits. Spicy twist on the finish. Very appealing. 88/100 (06/11)

Quinta de la Rosa Tinto 2005
Lovely vivid, fresh dark fruits on the nose. The palate is smooth and quite elegant with fresh bright fruit. It’s sweetly fruited yet still fresh. 90/100 (10/07)

Quinta de la Rosa Reserva 2008
Lovely definition on the nose. Fresh with nice dark cherry, plum and blackberry fruit, as well as some spiciness. The palate is dense and structured with some firmness and spiciness. Mineral, tarry, dense and backward. 94/100 (06/11)

Quinta de la Rosa Reserva 2008
Vibrant, intense nose of raspberry, cherry and blackberry fruit, with some spiciness. The palate is refined and quite structured with some freshness and a bit of oak evident. Rich and quite expressive. 93/100 (10/10)

Quinta de la Rosa Reserva 2005
Aromatic, fresh and balanced dark fruits nose with lovely freshness and spiciness. The palate is concentrated and full with great balance between the sweet fruit and the spicy tannic structure. Lovely balance. 93/100 (10/07)


Wine Advocate

Passagem 2006
The 2006 PASSAGEM is surprisingly powerful, even a little astringent on the finish. It is a Douro blend similar to the ’07 Reserve reviewed this issue, principally Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional. There is a certain tartness on the back end, and despite the lush feel up front, this has some focus. It was a pretty respectable effort for a new project in an off vintage and it should hold reasonably well in the cellar, but tasting this next to the 2007 shows the difference in the vintages. The ’06 seems respectable, but next to the ’07 it is seems a bit dull, lifeless, short in finish and lacking in vibrancy. Drink now-2015. Mark Squires 86 points (02/10)

Quinta de la Rosa Reserva 2008
The 2008 RESERVA is principally a blend of traditional grapes aged in French oak. Showing good depth on opening, but too much oak initially, as often seems to happen with this bottling in its youth, this develops a hard edge of astringency on the finish with air. It has some depth, though, more than a lot of ‘08s show. It should come into fine balance and be an excellent successor to the 2007. It drank far better some three hours later, still seeming unevolved, but giving clear proof that it could come into balance as well. The oak-nuanced first impression makes it seem a little easier and friendlier than it is. That is deceptive. This is crisp and bright, fresh and stone-washed underneath the oaky nuance, with plenty of punch and power lurking underneath. Some hints of game added a little complexity. Overall, as this came together, it seemed to me to be a cellar candidate with upside potential. It may be approachable in the near future, but it will likely show a lot better around 2014, when its oak and tannins have had more time to integrate. Drink 2012-2026. Mark Squires (02/11)

Quinta de la Rosa Reserva 2005
The 2005 RESERVE is, oddly, showing more open and less powerful than the regular Tinto at this juncture. It is also showing a considerable overlay of mint and eucalyptus. The winery no longer uses American oak, but they do have a very old vines vineyard, Vale do Inferno (which has been separately bottled in 2005 as well). I got that same minty note as well from that bottling, which winemaker Jorge Moreira identified as a typical characteristic of the vineyard. As a component, it is only 20% of the Reserve, but marks it strongly at the moment. Moreira indicated that he thought it would integrate in time, but it may take awhile, and many might like it. This wine doesn’t seem to have quite the depth of other recent Reserves from this winery, but it has many charms of its own, including that distinctive nuance, and a seductive texture. With air, the wine ultimately proves it has good structure, too, and more power than the Tinto. It is quite elegant and distinctive, but I did think it was one of those ‘05s that was sometimes a bit too elegant for its own good. After some aeration, there was a slight hollowness to the mid-palate. It drank decently the next day, although it seemed thin and routine at that point. Overall, this is an attractive wine, but probably a step behind the best vintages at La Rosa. I cannot help but wonder if the separate, single-vineyard bottlings took something away from the Reserve this year. Drink 2009-2018. Mark Squires 89 Points (12/07)

Quinta de la Rosa Tinto 2008
The 2008 TINTO is a typical Douro blend of grapes like Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz. It may well be a worthy successor the fine 2007, perhaps not quite as charming, but it has its own merits. This ’08 shows good depth for this bottling and a considerable hit of tannins that should hold it in good stead for cellaring. It is exuberant in a fresh, bright, sunny fashion, the structure making it seem invigorating, while the fruit retains good flavor. A little hard-edged and tight on opening, more so, I think, than the ’07 at a similar point in time, this ultimately showed off its sweet fruit and developed into a lovely Tinto. Although approachable now, a year or so to settle down would surely help this. Drink now-2018. Mark Squires 88 points (02/11)