One of the pleasures I find from traveling around the world is the opportunity to try new wine and meet interesting people. Earlier this week as I was preparing to head off to Moscow for work I had the chance to stop into the “Vino Volo” wine tasting café at Dulles airport and experience both. Over olives and almonds, I had the chance to meet leading futurist Jennifer Jarratt and had a great chat as we enjoyed some pre-flight wine at the airport bar.
The nice thing about Vino Volo is that if offers a wonderful selection of red wine flights. After dutifully tasting my way through half the menu of reds I came across a surprising little Portuguese gem.
The 2004 Encostas de Estremoz wine had a surprising spice filled pomegranate taste that gave real life to the hybrid of grenache and petite bouschet that fills each bottle.
The “Alentejo” bottling hails from southern Portugal, and, in full disclosure, has a good kick of natural acidity. If you prefer your wine merlot smooth, this one is not for you. However, if you are up for a bit of a journey, and willing to try a new varietal and a new region, the Encostas de Estremoz offers a nice ride for about $14 a bottle.
The Cork Scrooge 
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