2015 Quinta do Crasto Reserva
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Tasting notes
The 2015 Reserva Old Vines is a field blend from old vines (average age: 70 years) aged for 16 to 18 months in 65% new oak (85% French, the rest American), depending on the lots. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol. This year, as reported in my first look at this about a year ago, Crasto eliminated two southern-exposure plots in the vineyard because they were not fresh enough. Plus, Maria Teresa and Vinha da Ponte lots were eliminated because both produced separate wines this year. This has fleshed out a bit, showing a mouth-coating demeanor and texture that it didn't originally reveal, but it has not changed a lot. It retains the elegance and freshness I expect from the vintage and the brand. It still is young, a little unevolved and has a long way to go to develop complexity. The tannins are relatively ripe, so you can drink this now if you want to, but that will not be its highest and best use. Come back in another couple of years for better results. There were 90,000 bottles produced.
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Mark Squires
More reviews and scores
A field blend of 25–30 different varieties, old vines average age 70 years. 18 months in French (85%) and American (15%) oak. TA 5.2 g/l, pH 3.63, RS 2.2 g/l. Heavy bottle. Deep purplish crimson. Even though the wine is so young the aroma is complex, with perfumed dark fruit, some oak sweetness and overlaying it all a fine dusty mineral/graphhite quality that gives it a sense of place – a feeling that it comes from somewhere seriously rocky. On the palate, the oak is still a little dominant at this early stage, giving sweet spice notes, but the tannins are super-frine and give a dry balance and finesse to the whole. Fluid and juicy and fresh to a long, supple finish, the tannins super-fine and smooth. You could just about approach it now with food though it will repay a good few more years in bottle. (JH)