2021 QUINTA DO CRASTO DOURO RESERVA OLD VINES
"One of the icons of the modern Douro reds, from 42 plots of old vines on the beautiful Quinta do Crasto property (three plots didn't make it to the final blend in 2021), the 2021 Reserva Old Vines (or Vinhas Velhas) comes from different plots averaging 70 years of age. It has the perfumed, outgoing and exuberant nose it has always had, floral, spicy and showy, smoky and nuanced. The destemmed grapes fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, and the wine matured for 18 months in oak barrels, 85% French and 15% American. The palate is medium to full-bodied with superb balance and very fine tannins. It still shows very good value for money. It has 14% alcohol with a pH of 3..66 and 5.2 grams of acidity. It's approachable but with aging potential. 90,000 bottles and some larger and smaller formats produced. It was bottled in July 2023." Luis Gutiérrez Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 94 points Drink 2024-34