Tom Kobylarz

9.1

I brought this back with me in late 2015 on a trip to the Douro on the way to Northern Spain where @ml_private_tours and I stopped in to meet @luisaolazabal at her family's beautiful estate @quintadovalemeao in the Douro Superior. A tiny 500 cases is produced.
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At 5 years of age, this is fresh as a daisy with cut and verve. Medium yellow-gold in color. The nose is fresh and reminded me of Sancerre, so Sauvignon Blanc like notes of fresh lime citrus, green apple, sweet grapefruit pith, crushed oyster shells, and a host of chopped fresh green herbs. The palate is electric, more elegant than my initial tasting note from 2015. The acidity is thunderous, a pure and crystaline palate and med+ length in the finish. At 5 years this is so pure and so young, I think it will easiy cruise on to 10 years and likely age for longer. — 5 years ago

Charlie Beatty

Buyer wineworksonline.com

9.8

First time for me. Wow! Impressive against all these others! Cheers Ron!! — 10 years ago

Peter Farrell

8.9

Cherry and French oak on the nose. High acidity and tannins, with more dark fruits and oak on the palate. A terrific wine for the price. Reminds me of a tame Ribero del Duero. — 5 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

8.9

Meao Tawny NV (1999 stock)
From stocks that Francisco is experimenting with, these Tawny wines may or may not turn into a commercial bottling. From what I gather with discussing it with Luisa they are still tinkering with the blend and the style they want to represent as a Meao Tawny.
Caramel and roasted nuts jump from the glass and fan out over the thicker textured wine that adds oxidized notes of orange and ginger. If anything for me as good as this is it could use a little more freshness.
Tasted at Quinta do Vale Meao 10/16/2015.
#meao #topsecret #tawny — 8 years ago

John Kanellopoulos

9.5

The Portuguese are teaching me at least that blending many vines with passion can produce exquisite experiences: refined, good body, smooth Ramon’s for a young wine, robust color l, varying aromas-really changing constantly!!! — 7 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.3

Youthful, with power and concentration in the nose and palate. A very traditional styled Meao showing the typical style of this wine. The nose shows a mix of red and blue berry fruits, subtle spices, and barely a trace of oak. These wines are always masterfully aged in oak to impart just the right amount of oxygen and wood character. The palate is well balanced, youthful and medium+ in intensity and a fresh, persistent finish. This is just as good or better, depending on your tastes of course, of the recent string of many excellent Meao and reminded me of the 2009.
Tasted at Quinta do Vale Meao 10/16/2015, tasted at opening and 1.5 hours later. #meao #dourovalley — 8 years ago