Review: 2020 Taboadella Jaen Reserva Dao

Jaen isn’t a place but the name of an indigenous Portuguese grape, also known as Mencía in Spain. Virtually unheard of in the U.S., it’s the basis for a single-varietal offering from Taboadella, where Luisa Amorim crafts wines in the Dão region of the country.

This 2020 vintage is a lively and refreshing wine, mercifully gentle at its 13% abv, bursts with notes of fresh strawberry and blueberry before sliding into a light florality, leaning heavily into hibiscus. Aromatic but grounded, it finds its way into a distinct minerality, graphite notes eventually evoking touches of milk chocolate and vanilla, finishing with a lick of lilac and balancing rhubarb. Elegant and versatile, this is one of those wines that remarkably can work well with everything from a bowl of curry to fresh seafood to well-sauced steak. I’m a fan.

A / $35

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