Referenties

Meandro 2008;

Wine & Spirits, april 2011,
92/100
The more accessible slelection from Vale Meao, Meandro is a blend of touriga franca, touriga nacional and tinta roriz, with a small amount of sousao, tinta cao and tinta amarela. The 2008 season had none of the usual temperature extremes in the Douro Superior, and the cool, mild conditions produced Francisco Olazabal’s best Meandro yet. It’s beautiful juice, the flavors ranging from strawberry to plum and something blacker, with the firmness of wild blueberries. The tannin is fine grained with spicy hints of bitter chocolate, while the fruit shoots right through it to last, bright and lively – it’s still fresh three years later. Stock some away to enjoy while ’08 Vale Meao matures.

Wine Spectator, 8 maart 2011,
Wine Of The Week
92/100
This concentrated red shows restrained power to its flavors of roasted red plum, dark cherry and blackberry. Broad and rich on the finish, with plenty of savory spice and chocolate notes. Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Sousao, Tinta Amarela and Tinta Cao. Drink now through 2018.-K.M.

Wine Spectator, januari / februari 2011,
92/100
This concentrated red shows restrained power to its red plum, dark cherry and blackberry flavors. Broad and rich
on the finish. Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and other varieties. Drink now through 2018.—K.M.

Decanter, januari 2011,
The ‘second’ wine made by genius Francisco Olazabal from a blend of eight grapes, dominated by Touriga Nacional. Full of fruit and spice, fleshy yet firm with a true Douro grip and very good value. Drink 2010-2016

Robert Parker, december 2010,
90/100
The 2008 MEANDRO DO VALE MEAO is a principally a big three blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca, with 5% each dollops of Tinta Amarela, Sousao and Tinto Cao to fill out the blend. This may be a good example of how many ’08s will show in many respects. It is tight and crisp, a little compact, but structured well enough that you could assume its price category was double what it is. It is a bit hard and austere at this point, very much unlike the sexier ’07 Meandro. With hints of game and some crispness, it should evolve well and into something that has some complexity. It is approachable, but it needs some patience to show its best. Once it settles down, it should be quite lovely. It does have some upside potential and may yet prove to have something more with cellaring. In most any vintage now, you can’t go wrong buying this second wine from this estate in the Douro Superior—it has become one of the go-to values in the Douro and in the best vintages it is a formidable wine in its own right, ageworthy and inexpensive. Drink 2012-2022.

Jancis Robinson, 14 september 2010,
16/20
Chocolate sauce, pure black cherry juice and a spicy peppery bite with rounded but dusty tannins. Fine aromatic quality. (RH) 14% Drink 2010-2016

Meandro 2007;

Proefschrift, september / oktober 2010,
7,5/10
40% touriga nacional, 20% touriga franca, 30% tinta roriz, 5% sousaõ, 5% tinto caõ; donkerrood uiterlijk, tamelijk dichte geur, hint van salmiak, zoethout, meer kruidige tonen, heel licht rustiek, vol in de mond, veel lengte.

Wine Spectator, 30 januari 2010
91/100
Full-bodied, ripe and plush with a surplus of dark plum, dark cherry and kirsch flavors. Silky tannins and creamy notes power the spicy finish. Drink now through 2014. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. — Kim Marcus

Robert Parker, december 2009
90/100
The 2007 MEANDRO DO VALE MEAO is very fine for a second wine, relatively deep, bright, beautifully balanced and well structured. It has some complexity, too. In its earliest vintages, I was not convinced Meandro was all it should be, but as time goes on, in vintages like the 2005 and this one, it is proving to be one of the better values in the Douro. I loved the texture, too. Drink now-2017.

Wine Spectator, 2 december 2009
91/100
Full-bodied, ripe and plush with a surplus of dark plum, dark
cherry, and kirsch flavors. Silky tannins and creamy notes power
the spicy finish. Drink now through 2014.—K.M.

Meandro 2006

Top 5 Gerard Keizer in Perswijn augustus 2009
‘Tweede’ wijn (nou ja…) van Quinta do Vale Meão, samengesteld uit 40% touriga nacional, 30% tinta roriz, 20% touriga franca, 5% tinta barroca en 5% tinta amarela. Mooie karmozijnrode kleur. Typisch ‘Portugese’neus, middelintens, zondoorstoofd fruit met het nodige zoethout. Fluwele smaakaanzet, 14,5% alcohol maar toch levendig. Mooi fruit, kruidig, hartig mineraal, aangename tannine, chocolaatje na.

Wine Spectator januari – februari 2009
92/100
Offers a powerful aroma of crushed red fruits, with flavors to match. There’s an intense minerality that’s accented by notes of beef and pepper, with medium-grained tannins on the closed finish. Needs some time in the cellar. Best from 2009 through 2013.

Meandro 2005

The Wine Spectator, December 2007
91/100
‘Powerful aromas and flavors of cassis, mint, dark chocolate and spice are accented by an impressive minerality.
Medium-grained tannins and plenty of structure back up the almost Port-like essence of this muscular red. Shows
exotic Asian spice notes on the finish. Drink now through 2012.—K.M.’

Jancis Robinson.com, December 7, 2007
16.5/20
‘Meaty and spicy, lots of pure dark fruit and a touch of liquorice. Modern in its rounded density but still shows the Douro character in its firm dry tannins. 14% (JH) Drink 2009-12’

Robert Parker The Wine Advocate 178, August 2008
91/100
The 2005 Meandro from Quinta Vale de Meão is a blend of Tinta Roriz (40%), Touriga Nacional (25%), Touriga Franca (25%), Tinta Barroca (5%) and Tinta Amarela (5%). It is the second wine of this estate, and not surprisingly, given that its big brother may be the wine of the vintage, it is quite successful in this vintage. Bright, elegant and refreshing, it also has plenty of power, a tannic grip on the end that supports the attractive fruit. Its structure, intensity and balance make it one of the finest buys in this report. It took a good while to get open fruit, but when it opens it is very attractive. It will ultimately seem graceful with an elegant mid-palate, but its intensity rules the day at the moment. I liked it better than its ’04 counterpart. It is simply a terrific Meandro. Drink 2009-2018.

Francisco Olazabal, the owner of this fine winery, was the President of Ferreira, the winery that created Portugal’s seminal, dry cult wine, Barca Velha. The original Barca Velha vineyard is part of Vale Meao now, and you can still see the sign as you drive by. The winemaker is Francisco, Jr., who also makes wine at Quinta do Vallado. His record of excellence at these two fine estates certainly demonstrates that he is one of the Douro’s best and most important winemakers.

Wine Spectator, the top 100. Dec. 31, 2007- Jan. 15, 2008
Rubriek: The Savvy Shopper by Bruce Anderson
‘ Soulful reds: on to Portugal, where the dry reds from the Duoro have been making a splash. Quinta do Vale Meão is one of the leading estates there; its Duoro Meandro 2005 is a good introduction to this estate and region. Expect powerful aromas and flavors of cassis, mint, dark chocolate and spice. It’s a Smart Buy.

Wine Spectator, The top 100, Dec. 31, 2007- Jan. 15, 2008
Rubriek: The 2007 Top !00
91/100
‘The grapes for Meandro come from the large Quinta do Vale Meão estate, which lies in the upper Douro and is owned by the Olazabal family. Meandro is the second wine of the estate. Like many of the best Portugese red table wines, it is a blend of grapes used traditionnaly in Port Production; in this case, the mix is dominated by Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (the Tempranillo grape of spain) and Touriga Franca. The soils are a mixture of schist, granite and alluvial gravel; the wine was aged in large oak casks to preserve its fruity intensity.’

Wine Spectator, The top 100, Dec. 31, 2007- Jan. 15, 2008
Rubriek: Spectator Selections, smart buys
‘Powerful aromas and flavors of cassis, mint, dark chocolate and spice are accented by an impressive minerality. Medium-grained tannins and plenty of structure back up the almost Port-like essence of this muscular red. Shows exotic Asian spice notes on the finish. Drink now through 2012.’

Meandro 2004

The Wine Anorak, December 2006
92/100
‘This is the second wine, and it’s pretty smart. Smooth, sweet dark fruits nose. Lovely structured palate with supple, elegant sweet fruit and a hint of earthiness. A ripe style of red wine with real appeal and more than a hint of elegance. Very good/excellent.’

Robert Parker. The Wine Advocate no. 169
89/100
‘The 2004 “Meandro do Vale Meao” (Quinta do Vale Meao) is the second wine of the Quinta, a blend of major varietals, including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz (30% each) and dollops of Tinta Barroca and Tinta Amarela. It is approachable at first and very flavorful, with fine focus. Tannins pop up on the finish with fifteen minutes of air. It is beautifully balanced. In its own right, it is a nice presentation, with acceptable structure for its price range and reasonable depth. However, it is a little on the foursquare side and a bit short, although like its big brother, the regular Tinto, its fruit is delicious. After its initial wake-up, the longer it airs out, the less impressive it is. It is a pretty fair value for the price. Drink 2007-2012.’

Wine Spectator December 2006, Kim Marcus, Dynamism in the duoro.
92/100
‘An intense kirsch-like aroma, with pure flavors of dark cherry, blackberry.

Meandro 2003;

Wines&Spirits USA Maart 2006
92/100
‘Meandro is selected from the more accessible lots at Vale Meao. In ’03, it has a core of purple plum fruit, pure Douro in its spicy, schisty edges. Juicy, herbal and firm, the wine’s flavor continues to broaden with air, a complement to braised lamb shank.’

Meandro 2001;

Proefschrift januari 2005,
8/10
Tweede wijn van Quinta do Meao, meer tinta roriz, 50% 2e en 3e-jaars hout; goed gerijpt fruit, goede zuren, levendig, grip, voldoende frisse tonen, hout en alcohol zijn goed opgenomen, evenwichtig en doordrinkbaar.

Meandro 2000;

Wine Enthusiast, November 2003
90/100
” A selection of lots not deemed worthy of inclusion in this estate’s flagship red, Meandro is nevertheless a fine wine and an even better value. Smoke and herbs add complexity to the blueberries and blackberries found on the nose, while the flavours combine lush fruit with intense notes of spice and anise. Drink now-2008. - J.C.”

The Wine Anorak ,Meandro 2000
Very good+
’Aged in third year casks; 34 000 bottles made this year. Lively bright fruit on the nose which is very forward. Lovely bright juicy fruit on the palate. Easy to drink and quite lovely; brilliant for a second wine.’ – Jamie Goode

El Mundo Vino, 13 september 2002
‘Meandro es el nombre del 'segundo' vino, nombre que hace referencia al gran meandro que hace el río alrededor de la finca. Es un vino sin crianza en madera, compuesto por un 60% de tinta amarela, y el resto tinta roriz (tal vez nos repitamos en exceso si recordamos que se trata de la tempranillo de España). Aunque lógicamente no alcanza la calidad y elegancia de su hermano mayor, es un vino con mucho carácter.
De los 2000, el Meão es un vino netamente frutal, con las características notas de violeta proporcionadas por la touriga nacional y un fondo especiado con algo de tabaco, aportado por la integradísima e imperceptible madera.
Meandro 2000 nos impresionó casi todavía más, al no esperar un 'segundo' vino de tan alta calidad, en el que el carácter de vino del Douro se transmite muy nítidamente. Ambos vinos se encuentran ya embotellados, y se comercializarán a partir de noviembre de 2002.'

Wine Spectator
85/100
”Lithe and muscular, with crisp berry and cherry flavors, and pretty toasty shadings. Tight finish. Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca. Drink now. 5,250 cases made”

Wine Behind the Label 2005
***/***** (a very good, even fine, wine. In the case of many reds repaying lengthy cellaring)

Perswijn, april 2003
15/20
Een tweede wijn van Quinta do Meão, warm en kruidig, een tikje gesloten, kersen en pruimen, leer, tabak, mooi op het fruit gemaakt, eigenzinnig, stevig, met mooie tannines en lengte.

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