Carlos Reynolds Branco 2021 – Reynolds Wine
Portugal is the major supplier of corks for wines bottles. However, it is also a country that is known in the wine world for its wealth of local grape varieties, which produce wines in a wide range of styles. The country includes five wine regions, named DOCs (Denominação de Origem Controlada): DOC Vinho Verde, DOC Douro, DOC Bairrada, DOC Alentejo, and DOC Dão.
Within this review we are reviewing a white wine from Alentejo, located in the southeast of Portugal. The producer is a known one, and former guest of our talk show Cellar Talks: Reynolds wine growers. The wine is their “Carlos Reynolds Branco”.
You can listen to or watch the interview with Carlos Reynolds here.
About the Winery
A winery that was established by Thomas Reynolds in 1850 in a village called Estremoz. A beautiful location, built in an old barn used in the past as cattle shed. Before starting a winery, this English seaman and merchant, was involved in the cork industry. He started a factory for the production of cork stoppers in Spain. It was a huge success, as several factories followed throughout Portugal and Spain.
Thomas Reynolds was a man that did not like settling, nor did his son Thomas. They are stirred by the same spirit of entrepreneurship. Therefore, they left Portugal to explore the world and left to New Zealand. They never returned to Portugal.
Meanwhile, Thomas’s other son, Robert, took care of the winery in Estremoz. Robert was passionate about his work, and the family patriarch. Their hard work resulted in expanding the land to produce more elegant wines. Thomas has really put a mark on the winery. Nowadays, Reynolds wines are available on all continents, thanks to Robert. At the moment they own 40 hectares of vineyards, situated on a hilltop. This provides an adequate drainage, excellent sunlight, and riper grapes. With these vineyards they produce a wide range of white and red wines, both single varietal as well as blends.
About the Wine
As mentioned earlier, Portugal has a wealth of local grape varieties. This white wine is made of 50% Arinto and 50% Antão Vaz, which are both indigenous grapes. It is named after one of the family members, our friend Carlos Reynolds, in fashion with the family’s tradition to honor their relatives each with their own wine.
When pouring the glass, it shows a lovely golden colour. The aromas of the wine do immediately remind us of yeast and brioche, which is the result of the fermentation with the grapes’ own yeasts. After leaving the wine for a period in glass the focus of the aromas changed from yeast to citrus, peach and floral notes, like blossom. A creamy texture of the wine fills your mouth, bringing forward the taste of yoghurt. The wine surprisingly lingers in the cheeks.
The high altitude of the vineyards at 800 meters leads to natural high acidities in the grapes, which can be found back in the wine. This acidity is balanced out with the texture and the fruit characteristics.
Conclusion:
This fresh wine is recommendable to drink combined with seafood, such as turbot. It is best served at a temperature ranging from 8 to 12 ºC and should be drunk young. A nice wine with medium complexity and power, a pleasant daily table companion to the dinner table.
This review is written by our own Judi Veldwijk.
Price: €10,00
Taste date: January 2022
Score: 86/100 DWA Score
Website: Reynolds Wine Growers