The 2002 “Reserva Old Vines” is a fine effort in a difficult vintage. It perhaps seems to be a little further along than its vintage date would suggest, with the fruit already showing some hints of secondary nuances, the only concession it makes to the vintage. It seems open and complex. However, the mid-palate is still full and round, and the fruit has lovely flavors. The wine has a backbone and structure, too, quite beautiful and simply a pleasure to drink. I enjoyed every sip. Drink now-2013.
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
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