2015 Vinha da Ponte
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Tasting notes
The Honore project commemorates Quinta do Crasto’s 400-year history. 'For the first time and to celebrate the centenary of the acquisition of Quinta do Crasto by Constantino de Almeida, a singular lot was prepared. The Honore Douro is part of the junction of the two most emblematic vineyards of Quinta do Crasto [both field blends of centenarian vines and usually bottled separately], from the excellent harvest of 2015, the year Quinta celebrates its fourth centenary (1615 – 2015). This blend is composed of 71.2% of wine from the Vinha Maria Teresa 2015 and 28.8% from the Vinha da Ponte 2015.' 20 months in new oak barrels. The colour of black-cherry skins. Glorious aroma that is rocky black fruit but still with an uncanny hint of violets and the merest touch of toasty oak adding a roasted note but not overwhelming the fruit. The oak is a little more obvious on the palate, and the alcohol is present, but the whole is in balance. Utterly Douro in that rocky dark-fruited quality that is both sinewy and ripe-fruited at the same time. Chewy texture with a touch of vanilla on the finish. Needs time but you could just about drink it now with food. Long with an almost tarry note on the finish making it more savoury. Elegant finish, especially when cool. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
A very special blend. Still with a tiny mark of oak but what finesse and what beautifully managed tannins! Feels like licking schist (with apologies to Prof Alex Maltman) but so gentle too. Lovely, fine fruit. Cool finish. (JR)
The 2015 Vinha da Ponte, a field blend from very old vines (100 years), was aged in new French oak for 20 months. When last seen (a year back), this was promising but fairly closed. A year has not been enough to fully change that conclusion. It has more concentration than wines like the Reserva or the Touriga, but it still shows too little personality and expression of fruit. True, Ponte (unlike Maria Teresa or the Touriga Nacional) is never the high-personality wine among the upper level reds, but even so. This remains a touch stolid and dense, at least now. It broods. It obviously has upside potential, as I last indicated, but it may take awhile to get there, so plan on having storage solutions. This needs some time to become more expressive. I certainly like this, but I'm not yet fully convinced. There were just 2,314 bottles produced, plus some large-format bottles.
Centenarian vines (several grapes varieties) grown on stone-walled terraces. Destemmed and slightly crushed. Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. Once the alcoholic fermentation is completed, the grape are gently pressed using hydraulic presses. Aged about 20 months in new oak barrels (90% French oak; 10% American oak). The final wine is a barrel selection. TA 5.1 g/l, pH 3.61. This is even more mineral on the nose than the Vinha Maria Teresa, a little more savoury and dusty/peppery, less immediately opulent and sweet-fruited. On the palate too, there is less fruit sweetness and a more brooding but potentially elegant finesse in both the more subtle flavours and the super-fine tannins, like many-layered tissue paper. Long and beautifully dry on the finish, leaving your mouth feeling clean as 70% dark chocolate does. All to come though everything is in place for a long future. (JH)
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Product details
Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca/Touriga Francesa, Tempranillo, Other
Red
Dry