Poreira: the excellent Douro wines of Jorge Moriera
It was back in 2001 that Jorge Moreira (pictured above) started Poeira, his personal project. He’d been making wines for Real Compania Velha before this, and in 2002 was hired by Quinta de La Rosa as winemaker. I’ve been following the wines since the start (here’s an article from 2002) and I’ve always liked his approach. Look for north-facing vineyards, pick early, champion focus and elegance over power and richness.
His white is made from Alvarinho, and the vines with more vigour, which ripen more slowly, make Poeira Branco. The vines on stonier soil which have smaller canopies, exposing the grapes to the sun, make his second wine, Pó de Poeira.
Pó de Poeira Branco 2023 Douro, Portugal
Stony, mineral, focused and fine with bright citrus fruit with a pithy edge and nice acidity. Stylish. 93/100
Poeira Branco 2023 Douro, Portugal
Juicy, linear and mineral. This is very refined with nice tension and a hint of apricot alongside the citrus drive. Mineral and slightly limey on the finish. 94/100
She Poeira 2019 Douro, Portugal
This is made by Jorge’s partner Olga Martins, and it’s Touriga Franca raised in a concrete sphere that is then turned to macerate the grapes, with gentle extraction. Then it is aged in foudre and concrete. Very expressive and quite elegant with nice evolution. Pure blackberry and cherry fruit, and quite stony and mineral, with freshness and focus. Has a mineral twist. 94/100
Pó de Poeira Tinto 2022 Douro, Portugal
With just 200 mm of rain, this was a hot, dry vintage, making wines a bit simpler than normal. Ripe and rounded, but still with some freshness, with shows cherry and tangy berry fruits. Very approachable with ripe but balanced fruit. 92/100
Poeira 2021 Douro, Portugal
44 Barricas. Nice depth and concentration here with bold, rich but balanced fruit, good tannins and nice acidity. Juicy and expressive with nice brightness to the lively red cherry and plum fruit, and some spicy components in the mix. 95/100
Poeira Vinha da Torre 2018 Douro, Portugal
This is an old vineyard at 400 m altitude, facing north, that Jorge purchased in 2015. It’s near La Rosa and it was planted in 1950. Varieties include Baga, Bastardinha and Tinta Amarela – lots of lighter varieties. ‘It’s an amazing vineyard,’ says Jorge. ‘I’m very happy with it.’ This is supple, juicy and bright with lovely freshness, and redcurrants and red cherries. It has purity but also spicy complexity, with sweet fruit hemmed in by good acidity. Youthful and very fine. 96/100
Poeira Impar 2019 Douro, Portugal
This wine has been made five times in 25 years, from 600 plants of Cabernet Sauvignon. Jorge found out that the Douro is too hot for Cabernet: it’s unripe and then it burns. But each year he co-ferments it with other Douro varieties, and sometimes it works. This shows beautiful aromatics with floral cherries and blackcurrants. The palate is sleek and ripe with lovely fruit and good structure. Spicy, complex and layered. 96/100
Poeira 2014 Douro, Portugal
Textured, spicy, showing nice depth. This has tar, spice and minerals, and it’s ageing really nicely, with hints of earth, iodine and spice. Structured, stony and mineral. 94/100
