Casa Ferreirinha Callabriga Douro Tinto 2016

Youthful, uplifting and expressive, with a beautifully spicy nose of blackberry and cassis leading to a polished, svelte yet wonderfully concentrated palate underpinned by a zesty freshness. Lots still to come.

The 2014 Callabriga from Ferreirinha has been seen before, but this is worth a checkup. All sourced from Douro Superior, it is a blend of 70% Touriga Franca, 20% Touriga Nacional and 10% Tinta Roriz that comes in at 13.5% alcohol. It was aged in a mixture of used French (75%) and American (25%) oak for 12 to 18 months, depending on lot. Its structure is impressive and its depth reasonable in a tough year. The fruit remains dry and stern, though, lacking vivid flavor. Even so, it shows well and slowly opens a bit. This is nowhere near fully ready to drink, but you can approach it if you give it some air. It is a pretty serious red in a difficult year. The prices were not yet set. Prior estimates indicated that it would probably would be in the mid-$30 range. There were 113,000 bottles produced.

Part of a range of wines made to show the strengths of each wine region. This Douro wine certainly brings out the tough soil and the firm tannins. They go along with dark fruits, a mineral texture and the spice from wood aging. Drink this serious, dense wine from 2015.

Green olive, dried blackberry and rooibos tea notes mix easily in this supple and fresh style. Bright acidity lingers through the finish, which offers a racy mix of French roast and lemon tarragon flavors. Drink now through 2018. 3,475 cases made.