2015 Quinta do Crasto Vintage Port [JS94][WA94] WINE

Producer: Quinta do Crasto    
Region: Duoro, Portugal 
Blend: Red Blend 
Year: 2015 

James Suckling, 94 Points 

“Aromas of stewed cherries, prunes, dried leaves and molasses with lifting, grapey aromas. Some praline on the palate. It’s full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins. Concentrated, yet elegant with balanced sweetness. Nice freshness on the finish. Unfiltered and aged two years in wooden vats before bottling.” 

Wine Advocate, 94 Points 

“The 2015 Vintage Port was last seen in Porto. This is the first look in the U.S. (a preview was in our August issue). It is a field blend from old vines (an average of 80 years) that comes in with 105 grams per liter of residual sugar. In many ways, this is a good example of how the wines often are better early on in Porto than several months later, after closing down and shipping to the U.S. This has tightened dramatically, the good fruit no longer its centerpiece. The backbone seems to have far more steel, though, and this is more than a little astringent. Underneath, there is still that fine fruit, which eventually asserts itself, especially if you recork it and hold it for a couple of days. The mid-palate shows good concentration, especially in the context of this lighter-styled vintage. It does have all the freshness I expect in the vintage, though. This is an excellent effort by Crasto, but it does need some rest. If it develops as I hope, it may even be entitled to an uptick in score.” 

Alcohol: 20% 

*Price and availability in store may vary. Vintage date may differ from pictured.