Quinta do Crasto Tinta Roriz 2016

The 2015 Tinta Roriz was aged in new French oak for 16 to 18 months, depending on the plot (with three vineyards separately fermented). It comes in at 14.5% alcohol. Usually Crasto's burliest, most tannic wine—even the Ponte, while often more closed and with just as much power, doesn't always seem so astringent on first taste—this has calmed down a lot since I first saw it. Very graceful and surprisingly elegant, it is a wine that doesn't seem even a little burly or rich now. As time has gone on, Crasto has moved more and more to finesse in general. Of course, the 2015 vintage helps with that as well—it wasn't really a big and jammy year. Mostly, it was a fresh and elegant one. Showing beautiful mid-palate finesse and relatively ripe tannins for the brand, this dances across the palate beautifully. It has lost some of the intensity it originally had, but it still tightens notably. It is not ready by any means. While losing some intensity, it has not yet replaced that with harmony and complexity. We are in a bit of an awkward stage. We are going to have to wait a few more years, at least. This is a little more closed than when I last saw it, but its future still looks bright.

Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo) was once believed to be the finest grape for Douro table wines. While that view has been modified, it still makes an impressive wine. With 18 months in wood and super-ripe fruit, the wine is concentrated and opulent. It has fine tannins and acidity that are at the service of this great fruitiness. The wine will age further, with maturity likely to occur by 2020.

Suave and concentrated, this red has a layered core of plum and blackberry compote, with details of spice, smoke and mineral rounding out the structured finish. Decant. Drink now through 2022.

Tasted Mar 2015 - Dark ruby with a soft rim. Plenty of sweet spice and vanilla from the oak, with sweet red-cherry fruit underneath, though the vanilla character is a little dominant at this early stage. Strongly sweet vanilla flavours on the palate too, a little too sweet for my taste but it is generous and rich and embryonic and there is lively freshness to bring balance. Firm, chewy tannins, lots to get your teeth into, and a sweet vanilla aftertaste. Some resemblance to young modern Rioja but there is still that dark, savoury quality that marks it out as Douro. Just a touch more aggressive than the Touriga Nacional 2012.Neeeds more time. (JH)