Top 10 : Portuguese Reds

Though they share the Peninsula, Portuguese and Spanish wines are completely different in style, grapes, profile, taste, and tradition. What they do share, however, is a high, quality/price ratio with Portugal perhaps topping Spain for the highest 'value' wines in the marketplace, across white, red and sparkling. And with ancient (but new-to-many-of-us) grapes like Alfrocheiro, Aragonés, Baga, Jaen, and Rufete to ignite our intellect and interest, not to mention the masterful Douro gang of Touriga Naçional, Tinta Cão, Tinta Franca, Tinta Roriz and the rest, familiar through Port Wine, there feels endless opportunity to taste and explore a whole new, exciting world of Portuguese reds.

We couldn't cap our excitement for these wines at ten, so here's a dozen to drink, and cellar. Be sure to search out some of these, and dozens of others, at next week's Vancouver International Wine Festival. Saúde!

95/100Niepoort Robustus 2009Cima Corga, Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal

92/100Quinta do Vale Meão Douro Red 2014Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal

92/100Quinta do Crasto Douro Vinho Tinto Reserva Old Vines Vinhas Velhas 2013Douro Superior, Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal

92/100Crasto Superior Douro 2014Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal

92/100Niepoort Redoma 2014Cima Corga, Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal

92/100F. Olazabal e Filhos Monte Meão Touriga Nacional 2014Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal

91/100Niepoort Vertente 2014Cima Corga, Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal

91/100Meãndro do Vale Meão 2015Douro Superior, Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal

90/100Soito Dao Reserva 2014Dão, Northern Portugal, Portugal

89/100Niepoort Dialogo 2014Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal

88/100Periquita 2015Setúbal Peninsula, Central and Southern Portugal, Portugal

88/100Pedra Cancela Dão Seleção do Enólogo 2015Dão, Northern Portugal, Portugal