WTN: 2006 Quinta_do_Feital Auratus

From a good blog entry found through the magic of Google, "Auratus is a blend of about 50/50 Alvarinho and Trajadura, unwooded, vinified in all stainless steel" http://volunteer.blogs.com/winewaves/20 ... feita.html

A yellow-golden color in the glass-this is a very "pretty" wine. Quite lean on the nose. On the palate, the lean-ness continues. This bottle showed the character I associate with Alvarinho-light, crisp citrusy and peachy flavors. The minerality I have tasted before is also there, albeit less dominant than previously. This bottle also lacked the saline character of a previous sample. For a light summer quaffer that costs under $15, I would rate this a solid and enjoyable 88 points.

This was my very first Portugese white, and I will probably buy more! It is very refreshing.

[Robin Garr]

Brian, thanks for the note ... I've had Auratus a couple of times and my recollections concur with your notes. I thought I remembered it as oaky, oddly, but your info makes clear that my remembery is faulty. "Unwooded" is pretty darn specific.

I think you'll like Portuguese whites ... I drank a lot of them when I was there a couple of years ago, and they're definitely great seafood wines in a seafood-eating nation.