The 2003 Grande Reserva was presented in a bottle, although labeled a cask sample. It supplies the intensity, depth and structure missing from the regular Reserva, while not losing fine fruit. Considering the pricing, it is one of the sweet spots in this lineup, providing a lot of value for the money. It may be riper, but it also seems more elegant than the 2001 Reserva reviewed here. Drink 2008-2015. This estate, operating under the supervision of French consultant Pascal Chatonnet, is producing an array of wines that generally perform well at fair prices.Importer: MHW, Ltd., Manhasset, NY; tel. (516) 869-9170

The 2003 Grande Reserva is a library wine, obviously. My last note, from nearly a decade ago, complained a bit about the pure power unbalancing this wine. That is still true today, although a bit better. The good news here today is that it doesn't seem to have decayed much, and I enjoy the complexity. It is exceeding expectations in terms of drinking windows. It is all tertiary, to be sure, but the fruit is still interesting and the wine is still very concentrated. It lacks any semblance of finesse, though, and seems a bit on the ponderous side, with the power sometimes overwhelming it. This is one of those relatively early Douro wines that made some argue that the wines were too Port-like. This has some virtues and I like that time has tamed some of the tannins, but not enough has changed. The rest is not interesting enough to compensate. This is a wine with pros and cons, a long way from a complete success, but not a failure. It will show better with rich foods. If you like mature wines, it has life left, maybe more than indicated, but I can't see it improving. The price merely reflects current release prices.

A hugely juicy wine, dominated by Touriga Nacional, leavened by dry tannins. It’s big, ripe, with vivid red fruits giving spice and power. Immediately attractive now, it is likely to age well over the next 5–8 years.——R.V.(9/1/2007)—— 92