A blend of Maria Gomes and Bical from estate vineyards in Bairrada and purchased Encruzado from Dão. Fermented and aged for 12 months in new 300-liter French oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol.
Golden, pale-to-medium-deep straw color. The complex nose feels sweet-toned and slightly evolved with rich, quite buttery aromas of lemon marmalade, some bruised apple, light perfumed floral tones, a little bit of browned butter and sweet toasty oak tones, exotic hints of fresh mango and ripe pineapple and a touch of cantaloupe. The wine feels broad, rich and complex on the palate with a full body and juicy flavors of ripe yellow stone fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of browned butter, light exotic fruit notes of mango and cantaloupe, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of toasty oak spice. The mouthfeel is rich with a slightly viscous texture, yet the high acidity lends the wine great sense of balance, structure and freshness. The finish is long, rich and complex with an intense, slightly sweet-toned aftertaste of buttery and slightly nutty oak, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of ripe nectarine, light steely mineral nuances, exotic fruit hints of mango, cantaloupe and honeydew melon and a touch of tangy salinity.
A rich, complex and quite hedonistic white that feels surprisingly similar to a Viña Tondonia Blanco, only with quite a bit more noticeable oak impact. I was quite surprised how pronounced the new oak characteristics still were, even at the age of almost 8 years. However, it feels like age had helped the wine to develop some tertiary complexity and integrate those oaky tones better with the fruit, so the wine is obviously evolving in the right direction. Despite the evolved tones it feels as though this wine is still on an upward trajectory and will continue to develop and improve for many years more. I'd let the wine age for another handful of years, just to let the oaky tones integrate even more. Good value at 65€ for a bottle in the Curia Palace Hotel restaurant.
