The giddiness rolled over me like laughing waves…as I sped down I-81 towards North Carolina, the realization hit me.
North Carolina…I would be in Greensboro visiting a very best wino friend… and though Durham would be a few miles down the road, for the first time since I’d moved back to the U.S. I would be within striking distance of Wine Authorities, the importer for our dear friends at Quinta de Sant’Ana.
I’d signed up for their weekly missives, and all at once, I was in a place to make an order for curbside pickup. How I would have loved to have browsed their aisles, but with COVID’s necessities, I’d settle for a surreptitious delivery straight into the back end of our Subaru.
The boutique wine store (with outlets in Durham and Raleigh) offers many other choices from Portugal, so with my case of Quinta de Sant’Ana I tried out several of their selections–which I will cover in a separate post.
Loaded and ready for the road, we couldn’t wait to get home and parcel out our stash. I gave Lori a cut for just being one of my besties–and one who had visited the quinta with me just before we left Portugal in July 2019.
Among the case I took back–several old friends with a few new vintages thrown in. I was particularly interested in trying the quinta’s first Arinto vintage.
TASTING NOTES
Quinta de Sant’Ana Haul from Wine Authorities
Tinto 2016
Deep garnet color
Moderate density/opacity
Aromas of cranberry sauce, brambles; further whiffs smell of musty cellar
Macerated blackberries, juice on the palate
Medium tannins and weight
Quinta de Sant’Ana Vinho Branco 2019 
Quinta de Sant’Ana Vinho Branco 2019 Label with Fernão Pires e Verdelho
Branco Mafra 2019
83 percent Fernão Pires; 17 percent Verdelho
Straw color, light to medium weight
Light to moderate mouthfeel
Lanolin, green hay, lemon peel aromas
Lemon oil, chalk, squirt of fresh pineapple juice on the palate
Quinta de Sant’Ana Rose 2019 VR Lisboa with Touriga Nacional, Merlot, e Aragonez 
Quinta de Sant’Ana Rose 2019 Label
Rosé Mafra 2019
41 percent Touriga Nacional; 41 perdent Merlot; 18 percent Aaragonez
Rich salmon color
Aromas of strawberry leaf
More dry strawberries and greens on the palate as well
Quinta de Sant’Ana Mafra VR Lisboa Arinto 
Quinta de Sant’Ana Mafra VR Lisboa Arinto 2018 bottle no. 785
Arinto Primeiro 13,5% abv blend of two years VR Lisboa
Daffodil yellow color
Light to medium body; brilliant acidity
Aromas of golden apples, ginger, hay loft
Meyer lemon, turmeric, apple peel on the palate
Significant legs for a white