TN: 2010 Quinta do Crasto Old Vine Reserva Douro

[Andy Velebil]

I happened by the wine store yesterday and grabbed a bottle of this to take to a BBQ later in the afternoon. As such no formal notes taken, just some impressions by the grill after it was decanted about 30 minutes. More restrained fruit than recent vintages. Less oak showing through allowed the nice minerality, stone fruit, moderate tannins, tar, and chalkiness to shine. Seemed fairly seamless between the palate and lengthy finish. This tends to show more of that old Douro style rather than a more modern flair. I must say I really enjoyed this and I look forward to giving it a proper go at home soon. My informal score is...
91-93 points

[JanTore]

I tasted the 2011 at a wine fair yesterday. Stylish and impressive.

[Brian C.]

We drank a bottle of this over the last two days. I decanted for about 5 hours, as was recommended. A beautiful nose permeated my basement as the decanting progressed, kind of a combination of violets (that's the Touriga Nacional, I am guessing) and dark candied fruit. As Andy mentions in his notes, there is a real streak of minerality. In fact, it is probably the most distinguishing characteristic of this wine. I'm not sure i agree with the characteristic of stone fruit. It seems like minerality is dominating over the fruit. The fruit keeps teasing me, saying if you just wait, I might show up for you. But as I finish the final glass, I feel like Linus in the pumpkin patch, waiting for the Great Pumpkin to arrive. It keeps teasing. Maddening. I think I didn't wait long enough for this to open up.

The tannins are moderate as he says, also. I caught some smokiness at times. I also caught some oak on this, probably a little more than I would have liked, especially as I started consumption on day two. As one of my friends says, wine should be kissed by oak, not screwed by it. I'd hate to see what the oak is like in the other vintages if this is the lower end of the spectrum for this wine. It seems to have dissipated as I finish this final glass, though.

I need to do this exercise again, I think. I feel like I missed it here. I wonder what this does ten years from now, also. I have a couple of bottles of their 2006 Maria Teresa, and those will not be opened for awhile. I would be curious as to what the dumb phase is like for Douro reds, also.

[Brian C.]

Now it's offered at $27 per bottle on WTSO. Free shipping on 3 or more. Funny.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Great price.......................Mahmoud.