Colares, "Chitas," Paulo da Silva, Lisboa, Portugal, 2008

Vital Signs: Colares is a traditionally prestigious wine region situated on Portugal's central Atlantic coast. It is famous as much for its sandy, phylloxera-free soils and ungrafted vines as the robust, tannic red wine it produces from the area's Ramisco grape.
Ali's Assessment: Drinking Colares for the first time is one of those all-too-rare "a-ha" moments. This is a wine of the sea - pleasantly tannic, dark fruit, black olive brine, and sea spray. The vines of Colares are left untrained and look like giant snakes running along the sand. A truly singular wine from a truly singular region.