Van Zellers VZ Branco 2017

The 2017 VZ (Van Zellers) white is a field blend featuring Viosinho, Rabigato, Códega, Gouveio and others aged for nine months in second use French oak. It comes in at 12.5% alcohol. This was set for bottling in a week (final blend, out of barrel) when seen. This is average in concentration but big in acidity, which is not what I have been seeing in a lot of 2017s—often, the reverse. Then, it shows too oaky just now, but it also shows every sign of being able to overcome the wood with more time. Elegant, persistent and laced with a little grapefruit, this looks promising. Another of the winery's many old-vines (50 to 80 years) bottlings, this typically produces around 2,500 bottles.