The 2006 TINTO is showing very well in the context of the vintage, although it has closed down a bit since I saw it at the winery some five months earlier. The fruit is not quite as obvious as it was a few months earlier, when it was grapey and tasty, if light and simple. The wine shows refined tannins and a lush, rather charming demeanor now. The mid-palate is quite modest, but the wine is focused while still seeming friendly and delicious, with just a little intensity on the finish. It may not be the best ager, and the mid-palate thins far too fast, but it will be hard to dislike in the short to mid-term. Drink now-2014. There are changes afoot at this very good estate. On the happy front, winemaker Jorge Moreira and the Bergqvist family (that owns La Rosa) have entered into a joint venture after having purchased Quinta das Bandeiras together. The wines appear with the brand name “Passagem.” On the other hand, the very old vine vineyard, Vale do Inferno, that provided fruit to La Rosa’s reserve is gone, considered too old and unproductive. The swan song was the separate (and excellent) bottling of Vale do Inferno in 2005 (reviewed last issue). La Rosa has acquired the rights, at least temporarily, to another old vineyard to replace it. Importer: Importer: Tri-Vin Imports, Mt. Vernon, NY; tel. (914) 664-3155;Vinum Importing, Redmond, Wa.; tel: (206) 621-8843

Smoky, meaty aromas set the scene for an intensely rich wine. If the wood element is very apparent in the smoke and spice flavors, this is youth. Underneath, there is a concentrated dark series of black fruits, bacon and big, dry tannins. The wine needs to age for at least four years.——R.V.(4/1/2009)—— 92