2015 Howard's Folly Reserva
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Tasting notes
70% Syrah, 30% Alicante Bouschet grown in Portalegre. Aged for 12 months in a mix of new and aged French oak barrels. Deep purplish crimson. High-toned nose and with quite a strong spicy oak note. Heavier, sweeter and less refreshing than the same producer's Sonhador 2015. More tannic and it may well settle down after a while. For the moment, food is strongly advised. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Mark Squires
More reviews and scores
The 2015 Reserva Howard's Folly is a 70/30 blend of Syrah and Alicante Bouschet, aged for 12 months in an equal mixture of new and used French oak. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol. There was no 2013 or 2014 released, although the fruit that might have the Reserva was dropped into the 2013 Winemaker's Choice this issue. Gracefully constructed, this is tightly wound with subtle concentration and mid-palate finesse. The texture is smooth and mouth coating. All from Portalegre fruit, this has a lighter and fresher style, but it never seems even a little thin. Still quite tight, this is very well done and likely to improve with another couple of years in the cellar. We'll see how this develops in time, but it may be entitled to an uptick as it becomes more expressive and more harmonious. Understated this may be, it is still intriguing and by no means shy. It should age well, maybe even better than anticipated.
About the producer
A joint project from British entrepreneur Howard Bilton and Australian winemaker David Baverstock, Howard’s Folly is a boutique wine producer in the Alentejo. Working with old vines and indigenous grapes largely in the cooler Portalegre, they craft fresh and modern expressions of the region.