The wines of Bago de Touriga

Bago de Touriga

Revisiting Portugal's Douro Valley, part 2

Bago de Touriga is a collaborative micro-negociant from the Douro, and it's partnership between winemaker Luis Suares Duarte (above left) and João Roseira (above right) of Quinta do Infantado. They began in 1998 (Luis had already made some wines in 1996 and 1997 that were later bottled under this label), and after the crisis they stopped in 2010, resuming the project in 2015. The brand name is Gouvyas. It's good to see them back, because they are making some interesting, innovative wines.

THE WINES

Bago de Touriga Gouvyas Viosinho Branco 2016 Douro, Portugal
This is fermented in stainless steel. Taut and fresh with a slightly nutty edge and notes of wax and spice. Some savoury minerality and a bit of saltiness. Linear, saline and nicely precise. Tangy lemony finish. 92/100

Bago de Touriga Gouvyas Branco Reserva 2015 Douro, Portugal
This is the same plot they have used from the beginning, and this wine was made previously in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2007. Powerful with a mealy, nutty, spicy edge to the citrus and pear fruit. Very pure with great precision and a slight grainy, cedary edge. Lemony with a hint of aniseed. 93/100

Bago de Touriga Gouvyas Branco Ambar 2010 Douro, Portugal (magnum)
Four different varieties, with 20% of the blend fermented in lagares on skins. Powerful, savoury and spicy with notes of orange peel and marmalade. Has some herbiness and nice tannic structure. Savoury and dense with nice grip. Firm and focused. 92/100

Bago de Touriga Gouvyas Clarete Seco 2016 Douro, Portugal
55% red grapes and 45% white, co-fermented whole cluster in stainless steel. So perfumed with sappy, bright raspberry and cherry fruit. Very floral with lovely citrus and red cherry notes. Juicy and vivid with mandarin, cranberry and red cherry notes to the fore. This is such a pretty wine. 91/100

Bago de Touriga Gouvyas Touriga Fêmea Tinto 2015 Douro, Portugal
Powerful, spicy red cherry fruit nose with some herbal notes. Quite stemmy. Reductive, spicy, grippy palate with a distinctive savoury, spicy edge. Grippy and vivid with lovely savoury focus. Complex and dense. 93/100

Bago de Touriga Gouvyas Vinhas Velhas 2006 Douro, Portugal
Savoury, spicy and a bit earthy with nice grip. Quite dense. Has nice spicy, earthy, savoury structure and lovely weight. Beginning to develop. 90/100