Portugal’s native reds: best buys at £8-£25

Graceful and gently fragrant with aromas of dried roses, undergrowth, cedar and hints of exotic spices. Enticingly complex on the palate yet wonderfully fresh, leading to a long and persistent finish. A beautiful example, showing real finesse and typicity.

Perfumed and vivacious, with complex aromas of leather, cedar and pencil shavings leading to a deliciously light and elegant palate, with savoury complexity and lively, refreshing acidity. Saborinho at its best.

An archetypal Alentejo red, with dark, juicy fruit jumping out of the glass. Generous, glossy and fruit-forward, therein lying the pleasure – powerful and opulent but not at all heavy.

A herbal-tinged, red cherry nose unfurls onto an elegant, silky-soft yet sophisticated palate with herbal and liquorice-toned dark fruit mobilised by refined tannins and crisp, refreshing acidity.

DWWA 2017 Gold medal: Deep, dark, rich and spicy nose. Intense black plum, prune and cherry on palate with bergamot and graphite. Bold with wonderful ripeness.

Youthful yet approachable, with a restrained nose of smoky dark fruit welcoming a satisfying purity of fruit in the mouth, raised up by fine but firm tannins and a pretty floral lift on the finish.

On the nose, graceful notes of blackberries, fruit cake and violets, while lovely juicy, fleshy and smooth fruit is underpinned by a beautiful freshness on the palate.

Highly expressive and fruit-driven, with dark plummy fruit accompanying notes of pine, dried herbs and sweet spice. Impressive, forward and juicy.

Enticing, complex nose of dark fruit enhanced by notes of wild herbs and chocolate, followed by a ripe and juicy palate flaunting intensity and freshness. Rich yet wonderfully harmonious.

Young yet focused, with a vanillin oak character on the nose and palate adorning blackberry and dark cherry fruit, underpinned by firm yet fine-grained tannins and a zesty freshness.

Lifted, energetic and persistent, with herbal and chocolate-laden dark fruit aromas ceding to a seductive and classy palate with a well-defined, elegant structure and zesty acidity.

This is 10 years old yet still fresh and fragrant, showing a beautiful savoury complexity, with aromas of leafy tobacco and mint unfolding onto a silky textured, plummy, chocolate-toned palate. At its peak now.

Expressive and vibrant, displaying intense aromas and flavours of blackberry jam, mocha and sweet spice. Refined and elegant on the palate, yet concentrated, with an invigorating freshness.

Dark forest fruit, blackberry compote and violet scents on the nose, which are mirrored on the palate. Forward, expressive and generous, with longlingering, silky fruit and assertive tannins.

Floral, sweet, forest fruit on both the nose and palate, with oak lightly worn, while notes of fruit, spice and a lick of graphite are refreshed by finely poised acidity. Lovely typicity and elegance here.

A textbook, modern example of Dão with smooth and seductive dark fruit partnered by earthy notes and an animal complexity, all underpinned by well-judged oak and sublimely soft, integrated tannins.

Lifted and lively, with overt and juicy dark fruit that’s framed by firm, sophisticated tannins and a lovely underlying freshness – crunchy and persistent with a real sense of harmony; nicely done.

Fragrant and inviting, with aromas of dark fruit, cedar and dried leaves on the nose. On the palate it shows an attractive savoury character underpinned with lively freshness and a persistent finish.

Intense, generous aromas and flavours of herbal, spice and violet-tinged blackberry and dark cherry fruit, boasting well integrated tannins and alcohol. Ageing gracefully and with plenty left to give.

Enticing, complex aromas of dark fruit and wild herbs dominate the nose. Unforced yet persistent in the mouth with alluring plummy fruit, lively acidity and tamed yet firm tannins. Vinous and elegant.

An effusive nose of dark fruit embellished by scents of wild herbs, violet and sweet spice. This is followed by a generous palate with lovely concentration of fruit alongside nutty oak and sleek tannins.

Gentle, elegant and easy to drink, dishing up bergamot, thyme and dark chocolate nuances against a core of beautifully juicy and peppery dark fruit. True-to-type and terroir-driven.

Mellow and harmonious, offering a wonderfully mature and complex mouthful of brambly fruit enriched by piercing notes of mint-chocolate, tobacco and dried leaves. Drinking well now.

A still very fresh and vivid expression of Touriga Franca. Dark fruit, black olive, roses, chocolate and sweet spice, bolstered by sinewy tannins.

Impactful nose of forest fruit, dark chocolate and mocha, with ravishingly juicy fruit on the palate underpinned by a racy freshness to fuel an alluringly persistent finish.

Fans out with intense aromas of plums, dark cherries, blackberries and bergamot. Voluptuous and opulent in the mouth with dense dark fruit, a firm backbone and zesty acidity. Will reward cellaring.

Elegant and seductive, with fine-grained tannins propelling a delightful purity of fruit and a sensational savoury complexity, with touches of tobacco and mint. Lively and convincing.

Youthful and vibrant with an enticing purity of succulent, floral-toned red fruit – convincing yet not overly serious, with real refreshment value.

Restrained bouquet of dark fruit garnished by violet, dried herbs and sweet spice. The tightly knit palate offers concentrated and persistent black cherry fruit.

Fragrant, inviting aromas of blackberries, pine and dried leaves. Lovely purity of fruit on the palate, with a silky texture.

A pure, fresh, medium-bodied style, overt and fruit-forward, with no sign of oak. Attractive and easy-going, with a satisfying varietal typicity.

Savoury and characterful, with gratifyingly soft and freeflowing brambly fruit encased within a harmonious structure, leading to a finely tapered finish.

An unshowy example that displays real finesse yet also an excellent concentration of cranberry fruit and spicy oak.

Flashy and modern in style, with intense oaky notes engraving dark fruit, cedar and liquorice characters, supplemented by firm tannins. To be cellared a while longer.

Dark-fruited aromas are intensified by violet, tea and dark chocolate traits, leading to a rich and powerful palate with a firm tannic edge; needs some time to soften.

Initially timid, slowly revealing notes of dark forest fruit, black tea and exotic spices. Powerful flavour with grippy tannins.

Elegant oaky aromas, with juicy dark fruit, spice and undergrowth. Harmonious palate with a zesty freshness ferrying onto a pleasing finish.

Discreet floral aromas, with bottle-aged characters on the palate partnering attractive brambly fruit. Tannins are firm but sophisticated; will repay some more patience.