March 16, 2024 - powerful and bold as expected but nonotheless a little bit anonymous, plain in its thickness without what you might remember of a wine once you think about it. Leather, undebrush, dark choacolate, pencil, little fruit left still. Well executed but leaving little memory
May 2, 2023 - Nice Douro dry red. Blueberry, magic marker, cocoa. Perfect gateway drug for Napa lovers.
November 8, 2021 - Disappointed in this one - first night with about 4hr decant, ok, but strong notes of turpentine weak fruit. (Noticed this on coravin test, but hoped decant might sort) - still not unpleasant, but not showing a sense it might improve with more bottle time. By second night it was flat and uninteresting.
February 24, 2021 - Lush bouquet with ripe red and dark berries. Same on the palate, juicy fruits, good acidity and mild, slightly sticky tannin. Beautiful wine.
November 25, 2020 - Dark, deep color. Lots of fruit on the nose, some delicate vanilla from the oak - not too much. Perfect 13.5% alc, so not too heavy. Medium+ body. Black cherry and some blue fruits - just lovely. Acidity and tannins (fine, elegant) are perfect. The finish is just a bit short, and the nose seems a bit closed (I didn't decant, and just opened it, so that may change with some air). 93+ right now, with potential for higher with time. This has lots of life left. Delicious.
November 22, 2019 - Wine tasting with 10 others full, round and fruity wine with hints of tobacco, it is very food and although it is full, it isn't overpowering and is well worth a try. 90 points
May 11, 2019 - 3 hour decant, back in the bottle to the restaurant.
Deep, dark, full but not overpowering - nice wine that's good now - not sure myself it has the goods for the long haul.
April 17, 2019 - Monthly Tuesday group "The Dead Sparrow" #038: Portugal (By RW): Black ink. In the bouquet cherries, dark berries, vanilla, chocolate and mocha. On the palate firm and creamy dark berries, licorice, laurel, chocolate, a lot of good acidity and round tannin. A mouth full of good wine which has elegance and a good concentration. Will improve over the next 4 – 6+ years. 93+ for now.
April 17, 2019 - Lovely aromas of black fruits, spice, chocolate which follows through on the glossy palate. Very good conenrtraion, lovely balance, not too much alcohol, one of my favourite Portuguese red wines and drinking beautifully now despite its relative youth. I’d love to drink a fully mature bottle
February 18, 2019 - This is exceptional wine. Deep purple, inky. Packed with dark fruits — blackberry, blueberry and tobacco too — but what defines this wine is elegance. It’s dark but not thick. Bright acidity. Aromatic. Deep but not brooding. 13.5 alcohol. It’s a blend of native Douro varietals, but touriga Franca (50%) is the key element here.