Quinta do Portal 2007 Mural Reserva

The Winery:  Quinta do Portal
The Wine:  2007 Mural Reserva
The Price:  $8.69 at Costco

Quinta do Portal is a Portugal winery, located in the Douro Valley in Northern Portugal.

The bottle was sealed with a natural cork, and the wine was decanted an hour before tasting. 

The wine is a blend of 40% Tinta Roriz, 40% Touriga Franca and 20% Touriga Nacional, with 25% of the wine being aged in French oak barrels for nine months before bottling.

The wine is a deep, dark burgundy in color.  It has aromas of cherry, blackberry, cassis and vanilla. 

The wine is a bit lighter in flavor than the dark color and rich aromas would indicate.  It is a delicious wine, with flavors of cherry and raspberry.  It is a nicely refined wine, with velvety smooth flavors. 

While the wine is not bursting with bold fruit flavors, it is a wonderful wine at an absolute bargain price.  It's definitely one worth checking out!

Chehalem 2007 Stoller Vineyards Pinot Noir

The Winery:  Chehalem
The Wine:  2007 Stoller Vineyards Pinot Noir
The Price:  $23.99 at Costco

Chehalem is an Oregon winery, located in the Willamette Valley's incredible Dundee Hills AVA.  Chehalem was founded in 1990 by Harry Peterson-Nedry
and Bill & Cathy Stoller.

The bottle was sealed with a natural cork, and the wine was decanted an hour before tasting. The wine is ruby in color with a slight brown cast to it.  It is a bit thinner in appearance than I prefer in a Pinot Noir.

The wine has aromas of blackberry, cherry, plum and leather.  It has flavors of raspberry, cherry and blackberry with just a touch of spice.

This is a very good wine.  It has bright fruit flavors, and is very smooth and well-balanced.  It's definitely a wine worth trying!