The 2008 Alicante Bouschet "AB" is, like its monovarietal peers, very much in the same mold as the others, lots of sweet oak nuances, reasonably elegant mid-palate and some modest hints of possible integration of the oak. With all of them, the question is usually: will they move beyond the one-dimensional, oak-laced impression that they have early on? They do seem dominated more by a formula and a house style than the character of their grapes. I did think the structure here was pretty good and it had some bite on it that not all the wines had. With air, there was a touch of harshness on the finish. Drink now-2017. This iconic Southern Portuguese winery has a lot of new labels this year, which generally look pretty good. The labels for the Reserva and Private Selection, of course, feature art by Portuguese artists - see all the back labels for details. The monovarietal wines now come with just a big letter or two on the front - like "S" for Syrah or "V" for Verdelho. The details are on the label in smaller print.Importer: Aidil Wines & Liquors, a division of Olde World Imports, Inc., Rahway, NJ; tel. (973) 642-0044; for Washington and Oregon only: Vinum Importing, Redmond, WA; tel. (206) 621-8843

The 2004 ALICANTE BOUSCHET is nicely structured, with grip on the finish, and good support. The fruit has some gamey notes. Often, this varietal makes me think of candied cherries, but the gamey notes and the structure give it some character here. Its bright finish drives home the fruit flavors. The mid-palate is medium weight, and the wine has an elegant feel, despite the obvious tannins. This is a nice effort. Drink now-2012.Esporao is one of Alentejo’s iconic producers, with vast vineyards (some 650 hectares) that partly have some age on them (some vines are around thirty years old, considerable relative to the many young wineries in the region). It has some of the region’s most beautiful and atmospheric cellars. Its lineup tends to be value oriented, and the winery excels in producing nice wines for little money, sometimes to the point where you wonder why you should step up. Its winemaker, Australian David Baverstock, is a long time resident in Portugal who has assisted many prominent wineries in the Douro as well.Importers: Aidil Wines & Liquors, a division of Olde World Imports, Inc., Rahway, NJ; tel. (973) 642-0044; Vinum Importing, Redmond, WA; tel. (206) 621-8843.