The 2005 TINTO is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca. It is grapey and youthful, with rounded texture and rather tasty, exuberant flavors. This has dark, plum nuances, and well integrated tannins, sufficient to support the wine and give it some verve, but likely to integrate well in the immediate future. As it airs out, it seems a bit lighter than first impressions led me to believe. That is a relative issue, of course. It is pretty tasty, as well as well structured. It is also showing considerably better than when it was tasted in the Douro several months earlier, although with air it does become a bit too compact and short. It is a nice wine, but not likely to improve much with cellaring. Drink now-2013. Importer: Vinum Importing, Redmond, Wa.; tel: (206) 621-8843.

A great structured, finely textured wine. The black tarry fruit, sweet licorice and black currant flavors all hang together well, leaving ripeness and feel of elegance.——R.V.(9/1/2008)—— 90