Grão Vasco - Dão 2007 @@@@ (4 corks)

Retails: $8.97 (Total Wine)

Portuguese is the sexiest language on earth. With my background in French, I can't make heads or tails of what they're saying but damn, it sounds good. On some occasions, my team and I have produced videos translated into Portuguese. Our voice over artist, who is located in Brazil and enjoys sending me drunken emails during Carnival time (which apparently happens more than once per year), had the most incredible sounding Portuguese voice. It seems that the native timbre and rhythm of the language can make absolutely anything sound exquisite, even something as sterile sounding as business meetings in Orlando (just an example).

This wine is as seductive as a Portuguese voice over. I can't quite figure out what the grape could be but the blood red color, bold fragrance and lilting flavor that seems to dance across my palate keeps making me gravitate towards my glass. This is a man's wine. The intoxicating aroma is almost like a cologne. It man-handles your taste buds into submission with a powerful earthy flavor that fades into a tart cherry essence momentarily before leaving your tongue desert-dry.

There's something mysterious about this wine. If you're the kind of drinker who enjoys a bold red, you absolutely must try Grão Vasco. Apparently "Dão" is a region in Portugal known for its red wines. Although, my research has suggested that this region typically produces mild reds, this one is absolutely the opposite. I've had some success with Portuguese wines in the past but this one might take the cake. Enjoy!

Nobilis - Vinho Verde @@@@ (4 corks)

Retails: $5.99 (Total Wine)

Refreshing is the word that best describes this Portuguese wine. Almost crystal-clear in color with a faint gold tinge, this extremely light wine is a true rarity. It's the perfect summer wine. Even a few days after being opened, it retains its fresh flavor.

Champagne fans will definitely enjoy wine, it tickles your tongue with a faint effervescence. It's not overly sweet and has a pleasant dryness that isn't overpowering. The only remarkable flavor is a balanced sweetness, almost like a granny smith apple (the green ones). It's really unusual, I haven't tasted anything like it before. Then again, I'm not horribly familiar with Portuguese wines, nevertheless, for the price it definitely should be commended for its originality.

Vinho Verde is a very subtle wine, you could easily getaway with serving it at lunch. It's definitely an easy crowd pleaser. It's also of a lower alcohol content than most (around 9%) so don't feel too bad if you drink it all in one setting!

Douro Doc - Vinzelo @@@ (3 corks) 2006

Retails: $6.99 (Total Wine)

This was a recommended wine by Wine Spectator in 2005, unfortunately 2006 really isn't super impressive. It's not a horrible buy, but for the price I've sampled similar wines with more versatile qualities.

It's color is beautiful, however, a deep purple-red with a luscious quality to the liquid. Unfortunately, the taste is not horribly interesting: huge oak flavor with a hint of leather and spice, the after taste is super dry and pucker-y in the cheeks. This is a very full-bodied wine, it's better alone than coupled with something else, it's too overpowering. It was slightly better after it was allowed to breathe, but not much improvement. If you enjoy wines with a whole lot of bite, you may find this one more palatable than I did.