Don’t be deceived, I’m not referring to Mão Morta, neither to one of the best themes of the band from Braga: "O Divino Marquês"” (“The Divine Marquis”). This Marquis also summons sensual pleasures, although in a more conventional way.
This wine, a top seller, although widely criticized, sometimes is viewed as the most trivial and repeated of Alentejo wines, often associated to restaurants with a poor wine selection. There are many to criticize Marquês de Borba, but few to actually taste it. Taste it, and then criticize. I understand why it is still present on the shelves and menus of many restaurants. This wine adapted to the market and adopted a profile more appealing to a more demanding consumer. It has more interesting aromas, intense and to the point. Freshness and volume appear in a more gastronomic way. It reminds me of some more expensive wines from Beja.
João Portugal Ramos chose Estremoz to get his personal project started, but Borba also played a part in it. It consolidated the brand domestically and then went abroad looking for other markets. It became an ambassador of Portuguese and Alentejo wines all over the world.
This 2011 red Marquês de Borba is a revelation, maybe because it was regarded as a wine for the masses. Preconceived ideas to which nobody is immune, like I use to say to my kids about cheese: “How do you know you don’t like it if you haven’t tasted it yet?”
Price: around 6,00€
Price/Quality rate: 7/10
Rating: Loved it… because it was surprising.
