Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines
Classification
Douro DOC
Varieties
100% Old Vine field blend
Vintage
2015
Expect
Deep ruby colour. Impressive and complex berry aromas with hints of spice and cocoa. Fine textured tannins perfectly integrated with fresh berry fruit flavours.
Soil
Schist
Winemaking process
Around 30 varieties harvested from vines with average age of 70 years
Grapes completely destemmed and slightly crushed
Must fermented in temperature controlled steel tanks
Matured 85% French Oak, 15% American Oak for about 16 months
Alcohol by Volume
14.5%
Units of alcohol per bottle
10.9
We think
A rich, full-bodied red that shows the characteristics of the Douro in their best light. Great to drink now, but even better in a few years.
Experts say
Silver at Decanter WWA 2015 – “Complex cigar box aromas combine with blueberry, tar and violet notes. Lovely wine with good acidity and structure possessing a classic graphite minerality.”
94 points Wine Spectator “Powerful, rich and refined, with a lithe mouthfeel and flavours of boysenberry, sandalwood, macerated cherry and damson plum. Very minerally as well, featuring loads of spicy notes on the well structured, lingering finish.”
93 points with Mark Squires, erobertparker.com.
91 points Sarah Ahmed “Always great bang for your buck: sweet oak, floral lift, lashings of blackcurrant, juicy plum and crushed berry fruit. Long fine tannins and rolling acidity. Drink: 2015-2023”
Pat –
When you pour your first glass (decant for a few hours at least) and see the deep colours and smell the powerful port character of this wine, you’ll be excited that you’re about to drink something really good. Some wines don’t match up to this initial promise but this one certainly delivers. It’s a complex, deep and rich wine with big flavours of berries and plum. It’s quite tannic and dry, but pleasantly so, with a long finish. You can taste the oak. It’s very, very good.
At the price it’s not going to be my “house red” (that’ll be the Cidadoura Winemakers Selection!) but this is perfect if you want to treat yourself, if you’re having someone special round for dinner, or would be a wonderful gift for any lover of good red wine that you know.
I’ve paid more for Bordeaux or Barolo that I don’t think are as good, so even though it’s a £20 odd bottle of wine, it’s still good value. I can’t speak for every palate but I’d be extremely surprised of someone told me they didn’t think this was an excellent wine.
For the quality it has to be a five. Excuse me now while I go and finish the bottle.