Touriga Nacional, Quinta do Crasto 2015

The 2015 Touriga Nacional was aged for 16 to 18 months in new, light-toast French oak (two different vineyards plots averaging 35 years in vine age, fermented separately). A selection of the best barrels, it comes in at 14.4% alcohol. This is the first Touriga Nacional offering since the 2012. Moderately aromatic for Touriga, this is beautifully textured, ripe and elegant. Sexy too. It has the subtle concentration to make you feel every ounce of the fruit on the palate, while never seeming jammy. It's surprisingly solid. It finishes with a hint of spice and personality, but it is always well controlled. Crasto's Touriga is never one that produces odd flavors. The ripe tannins allow this to be approachable early, but it does need a few years, ideally, to show more of what it has. Its concentration, backbone and freshness support it, so it should age well—20 should be easy. This certainly has some upside potential with aging. What it needs to prove in the cellar is that it can develop some complexity, the ability to show the distinction we get with truly fine Touriga. It may yet be entitled to an uptick. Of Crasto's two monovarietals this issue, I'd bet more on this. There were just 6,808 bottles produced, plus some large-format bottles. Drink 2019 - 2040.

A generous, powerful red, with violet notes flanking the blackberry and cherry flavors bound together by vibrant acidity. Underpinned by spice, tea and wild herb notes, this concludes with a lingering, smoke-tinged finish. Enjoyable now, but can be aged for a few years. Drink now through 2028. 583 cases made.