2012 Xisto

The 2012 Xisto is an old vines field blend, mostly Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, aged for 20 months in French oak. What do you get by upgrading from the regular Tinto? Perhaps not enough, considering the substantial price uptick, but I did like this better. It drank particularly well the next day. It may also prove to be more age-worthy than the regular Tinto. It had another layer of concentration, but a bit more oak impact. It is nonetheless loaded with charm, grace and freshness, not to mention that bit of oak. Not as big as its predecessor, the brilliant 2011, this more understated 2012 wins points for its lively demeanor and its delicious, lifted fruit. It finishes with that fine intensity of flavor and it is seductive the next day. It may not be quite as concentrated as some other vintages, but you'll want another glass. This bright and sunny red could use a bit more cellar time to settle down and pull in some oak. Note: this is set for release in the USA at the end of 2015.