A red with hypnotic powers

You are unlikely to find a more complete, succulent and layered red anywhere in the world for the money, says Matthew Jukes.

Matthew Jukes
By Matthew Jukes
published

776-wine

2011 Howard's Folly, Sonhador, Alentejo, Portugal (£12.99, Duncan Murray Wines, 01858-464935, www.duncanmurraywines.co.uk; Vagabond Wines, 020-7381 1717, www.vagabondwines.co.uk; Luvians Bottle Shop, 01334-654820, www.luvians.com).

There is a lot of vinous excitement to be found in Portugal, but you have to look carefully to track it down. Over the last decade the Portuguese wine industry has collectively pulled its socks up and along with interesting indigenous varieties there is some real flair coming to the fore, more often than not coupled with knockout value for money. Admittedly, some of the best wines are not yet exported, but a few stars have quietly found homes over here and Sonhador (Dreamer), is an example.

Using awesome raw materials, brilliant winemaking (David Baverstock) and affording staggering value for money, this imposing red is a blend of 30% syrah, 30% alicante bouschet, 30% aragonez (tempranillo) and 10% touriga nacional and it sees French and American oak barrels for nine months.

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Visionary owner Howard Bilton wisely allows it a further two years in the bottle to evolve and soften, meaning the Dreamer is at the peak of its hypnotic powers right now. You are unlikely to find a more complete, succulent and layered red anywhere in the world for the money. But hurry: production is limited.

Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition's Communicator of the Year (MatthewJukes.com).

Matthew Jukes
Matthew Jukes

Matthew Jukes has worked in the UK wine business for well over three decades and during this time has written 14 wine books.  

Matthew regularly lectures, judges, speaks at wine conferences and runs masterclass tastings for both corporate and private clients all over the world. Matthew is also the creator of his ground-breaking initiative, the One Day Wine School, an indulgent day of tasting and learning first performed in 2006.

He has been the MoneyWeek wine correspondent since 2006 and has written a weekly column for the Daily Mail’s Weekend Magazine since 1999. His four highly-acclaimed, annual wine reports – the Burgundy En Primeur Report, the Bordeaux En Primeur Report, the Piemonte Report and the 100 Best Australian Wines – are published on his website, www.matthewjukes.com.

Matthew is one of the world’s leading experts on Australian wine and, with Brisbane-based wine writer Tyson Stelzer, runs an annual competition in Australia to find ‘The Great Australian Red’.  He was made Honorary Australian of the Year in the UK at the 2012 Australia Day Foundation Gala dinner. 

Matthew is a winner of the International Wine and Spirit Competition's Communicator of the Year Trophy.  His thoughts, recommendations and tastings notes are followed very closely by the wine world at large.

 

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