Review: 2020 Taboadella Villae Tinto Red Blend

Last month, we reviewed an Alfrocheiro wine from Portugal’s Tabodella winery, a pleasant and serviceable wine slightly deviating from the common Portuguese offerings. This month, we are trying its Villae offering, which is a red blend consisting of 40% Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), 20% Jaen (Mencia), 20% Tinta Pinheira (Rufete), and 20% Alfrocheiro (Alfrocheiro) grapes.

This wine opens with steady but measured elegance, with aromas unfolding gradually from violet to cracked pepper, and ripe plum as it evolves in the glass. On the palate, the plum carries through seamlessly, layered with slate and earthy notes of damp soil and mushrooms. Subtle, persistent tannins lend the structure needed to keep flavors aligned without dulling brightness. A touch of black tea emerges on the finish, adding some refinement and restraint. It strikes a consistent balance throughout of generous fruit meeting equal depth, and it is the kind of wine that reveals more of itself the longer it sits in the glass. It’s already approachable and drinking quite well, but it still hints at a graceful future if you want to wait another year. Pairing this with a small plate of chorizo and Manchego adds a bit of decadence to an already rich experience.

B+ / $23

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