Full bottle a rather heavy 1,479 g. Old-vine field blend with an average age of 70 years. Fermented in tank and aged about 18 months in French (85%) and American (15%) oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered March 2021.
Deepest crimson. Both sweet and savoury on the nose: black fruit, oak spice, and the rock-dust character of the Douro. Opens up to a more floral aroma, really scented for a powerful wine. Firmly tannic and sweetly oaky on the palate. I wonder how this would taste without the American oak component, perhaps a little more elegant? Full-bodied, with lovely freshness and dry tannic finesse. Long and promising a long future. (JH) Julia Harding MW (September 2021) JancisRobinson.com