2018 Passágem, Douro "Reserva" Red

Longtime SommSelect Faithful have heard this rant many times before: most of the wine-loving public is asleep at the wheel when it comes to the dry reds (and whites!) of Portugal’s Douro Valley. The Douro’s signature fortified wine, Port, still retains its place among the great wines of the world, but the real story right now is the ever-increasing quality, availability, and diversity of dry, unfortified table wines. Modernization of winemaking facilities and a major generational shift in winemaking talent is happening throughout Portugal, but perhaps most profoundly in the Douro—one of the world’s most historic wine appellations and one of the most dramatic terroirs to experience firsthand. Haven’t been yet? It needs to be on your list! Where It Grows: Portugal’s Douro River Valley, a UNESCO Heritage Site and one of the first officially “delimited” wine zones in the world, has undergone a radical transformation. It is a cavernous valley, spanning the entire width of the country and em