Touriga Nacional Quinta de S. José, João Brito e Cunha 2016

The 2016 Touriga Nacional Quinta de S. José was aged for 12 months in second use French oak and comes in at 14% alcohol. This was the final blend, set to be bottled a couple of weeks after this tasting. When you list the fine producers of Touriga Nacional, it's become increasingly clear that you have to include João Brito e Cunha. He says that his terroir promotes a fresher style. That seems certainly true with this vintage. Gloriously fresh, in fact, it is an exuberant Touriga with enticing aromatics, intense flavor and the structure to support the fruit. It looks like a fine follow-up to the 2015, perhaps even better. They both look capable of aging well and improving as they go along. 2021-2040