The 2001 “Vinha Maria Teresa” is sourced from 80-year-old vines. This bottling is an occasional luxury sibling to the Vinha da Ponte. It is quite a sibling rivalry. The 2001 is beautifully constructed, impeccably balanced and elegant in the best sense of the word. The tannins dance around the finish, and the wine has a rather lively demeanor to support the delicious fruit in the mid-palate. Although lively, with obvious tannins, it is coming along well and can be approached now. It is still developing, however, and as it sits in the glass, it expands and blossoms, the fruit becoming richer, and drier tannins emerge. The flavors become rather exotic and sweet, and it is simply delicious. It seemed to drink better for awhile the next day, although a bit of funk on the nose had not blown off, marring it just a little. I can’t ignore its virtues, though, and it retained its vivid sweetness and fleshed out. Drink 2008-2020. This old, historic estate, owned by the Roquette family, is on everyone’s short list for the designation “best dry wine producer in Portugal,” and with good reason. This is one of the estates that turbo-charged the dry red revolution in modern Portugal. As befits a standard bearer, they go from strength to strength and their wines are in high demand. Even their off-vintage wines are good, while their upper level “good vintage” wines are some of the most sought after in Portugal, and some of the most distinguished the country has to offer. The Roquettes’ exciting new joint venture with Jean-Michel Cazes (of Chateau Lynch Bages) is another feather in their caps. It is separately listed under “Roquette e Cazes.” The lineup from Quinta do Crasto was probably the most impressive that I tasted, from top to bottom, when I was in Portugal. (The wines reviewed here, as with almost everything in this report, were retasted from bottle under controlled conditions in the USA.) If there is a downside, it is the obvious one – the wines are pretty pricey, a function of prestige and, sometimes, scarcity.Importer: Broadbent Selections, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 931-1725

This dark, inky wine is produced from the Quinta's oldest vines. Packed with dense blackberry fruit, it also blends hints of cedar and vanilla. For all it's weight and full-bodied flavor, it also boasts surprisingly crisp acidity, which compresses the finish. Try around 2010 for a more harmonious drinking experience.——J.C.(3/1/2005)—— 91