The 2007 Tinto is predominantly a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Amarela and Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in oak for 18 months. Despite the length of time in oak, this hardly shows its oak. Well balanced and integrated, this has an elegant mid-palate, good focus and a tight, slightly closed demeanor at the moment. The moderately ripe tannins give it some grip and intensity on the finish. Earthy and with a touch of game on the nose, this should hold pretty nicely and open more in the next year or two, although it can certainly be drunk now. Drink now-2017. Importer: Ingenium Wines, Huntsville, AL; tel. (256) 684-2543; Aidil Wines & Liquors, a division of Olde World Imports, Inc., Rahway, NJ; tel. (973) 642-0044

The 2006 TINTO is principally a blend of Touriga Nacional, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tinta Amarela, aged for 14 months in oak. A bit sharper and more powerful than its Porta Velha sibling, fuller bodied and with a little more intensity of flavor, it also has a somewhat astringent finish, with hard tannins. While lacking some of the Burgundian gracefulness of the modestly concentrated Porta Velha reviewed this issue, the Tinto’s better depth makes it a well priced and a rather admirable offering given a vintage in which so many properties in Portugal had so many problems. There were 25,925 bottles produced, along with 515 magnums. Drink now-2017. The winemaker at this old (1913) Northern Portuguese property is Rui Cunha. Although the wines are in the general vicinity of the Douro appellation, this property is located North of the Douro and they are not Douro DOC wines. Apart from location, most of the wines are vinho regional wines as they contain international grapes, like Cabernet Sauvignon.Importer: Ingenium Wines, Huntsville, AL; tel: (256) 684-2543.