Crasto's new release: Superior Syrah

[Roy Hersh]

PR piece:

Following the success of Crasto Superior Red and Crasto Superior White, a new wine is born from Upper Douro project: the single varietal Crasto Superior Syrah. It all started in 2004, when experimental plantings of the grape variety Syrah were made at Quinta da Cabreira, owned by Quinta do Crasto at Douro Superior (Upper Douro), which have proved to be a pleasant surprise for the winemaking team, originating the wine that is now launched. Ageing in French oak barrels for 16 months, this wine presents an excellent aromatic projection, large volume and mouth structure. Another wine with Quinta do Crasto seal, which we hope will surprise you. Know more about this wine here: http://www.quintadocrasto.pt/produto/cr ... h/?lang=en


I look forward to trying this during our Port Harvest Tour!

[Andy Velebil]

Do look forward to trying it at some point.

[Moses Botbol]

Has it arrived in USA yet?

[Roy Hersh]

Not as of yet.

[Jasper A.]

I was fortunate to stay at Quinta do Crasto last night. We had some of the Superior Syrah.

I am not always a fan of Syrah, sometimes i think I am drinking green paprika. But this one was perfectly balanced, rich an had a long finish.
Definably surprised me in a positive way!

After this one, we had some more amazing wine!

[Eric Menchen]

I'm guessing that "Vinho Regional Duriense" is used as syrah isn't an approved Douro DOC variety. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

[Andy Velebil]

I'm guessing that "Vinho Regional Duriense" is used as syrah isn't an approved Douro DOC variety. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

Yes.


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[Moses Botbol]

I'm guessing that "Vinho Regional Duriense" is used as syrah isn't an approved Douro DOC variety. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

Like the Cedro du Noval wines...

[Brian C.]

I wasn't wild about the Cedro do Noval. Jam city, baby.

I just think this region is too special and unique to be screwing around with international varietals. Leave that stuff to Alentejo.

[Andy Velebil]

I wasn't wild about the Cedro do Noval. Jam city, baby.

I just think this region is too special and unique to be screwing around with international varietals. Leave that stuff to Alentejo.

But the odds are, given how many different varietals there already is growing there, Syrah has been there for a long time. So while I understand your point, at what point should we say "XX" should be allowed but "Y" should not??

[Moses Botbol]

I wasn't wild about the Cedro do Noval. Jam city, baby.

I just think this region is too special and unique to be screwing around with international varietals. Leave that stuff to Alentejo.

I remember it as having a pine nose and jammy as well. Was a little disappointed. Between international varietals and modern wine making techniques; what really defines a Douro wine? There's more sense of tradition in Dao or Bairrada.

[Brian C.]

I wasn't wild about the Cedro do Noval. Jam city, baby.

I just think this region is too special and unique to be screwing around with international varietals. Leave that stuff to Alentejo.

But the odds are, given how many different varietals there already is growing there, Syrah has been there for a long time. So while I understand your point, at what point should we say "XX" should be allowed but "Y" should not??

On what are you basing these odds? Even if that is the case, whatever Syrah that would have existed in the Douro for centuries has probably evolved differently than Syrah has evolved in the Northern Rhone, for example. If the Syrah has provenly existed in the Douro for centuries, I don't have a problem with cultivating that existing stock. Once you start bringing in cuttings from elsewhere, different story, though.

[Brian C.]

I wasn't wild about the Cedro do Noval. Jam city, baby.

I just think this region is too special and unique to be screwing around with international varietals. Leave that stuff to Alentejo.

I remember it as having a pine nose and jammy as well. Was a little disappointed. Between international varietals and modern wine making techniques; what really defines a Douro wine? There's more sense of tradition in Dao or Bairrada.

The grapes are integral to the story of Portuguese wine. To me, that's what makes it stand out most. When it comes to table wine in the Douro, though, what is the consensus traditional winemaking technique? I'd think it's more established in the Dao and Bairrada, where it's always been the main focus as opposed to a secondary business.

[Andy Velebil]

I wasn't wild about the Cedro do Noval. Jam city, baby.

I just think this region is too special and unique to be screwing around with international varietals. Leave that stuff to Alentejo.

But the odds are, given how many different varietals there already is growing there, Syrah has been there for a long time. So while I understand your point, at what point should we say "XX" should be allowed but "Y" should not??

On what are you basing these odds? Even if that is the case, whatever Syrah that would have existed in the Douro for centuries has probably evolved differently than Syrah has evolved in the Northern Rhone, for example. If the Syrah has provenly existed in the Douro for centuries, I don't have a problem with cultivating that existing stock. Once you start bringing in cuttings from elsewhere, different story, though.

Fair and makes sense.

[Andy Velebil]

I wasn't wild about the Cedro do Noval. Jam city, baby.

I just think this region is too special and unique to be screwing around with international varietals. Leave that stuff to Alentejo.

I remember it as having a pine nose and jammy as well. Was a little disappointed. Between international varietals and modern wine making techniques; what really defines a Douro wine? There's more sense of tradition in Dao or Bairrada.

The grapes are integral to the story of Portuguese wine. To me, that's what makes it stand out most. When it comes to table wine in the Douro, though, what is the consensus traditional winemaking technique? I'd think it's more established in the Dao and Bairrada, where it's always been the main focus as opposed to a secondary business.

There really hasn't been. For the most part table wine in the Douro was a village level, at best, quality level for consumption by locals. Not much was sold abroad. It really didn't start coming round until the early to mid 1990's. It's still a relatively young product and IMO they are still sorting out how to deal with it on many fronts. What varietals is just one issue as I don't think Touriga Nacional should be that grape. Few people have figured out how to make a good wine with just that grape as it's not as forgiving as something like Cabernet.

[Brian C.]

There really hasn't been. For the most part table wine in the Douro was a village level, at best, quality level for consumption by locals. Not much was sold abroad. It really didn't start coming round until the early to mid 1990's. It's still a relatively young product and IMO they are still sorting out how to deal with it on many fronts. What varietals is just one issue as I don't think Touriga Nacional should be that grape. Few people have figured out how to make a good wine with just that grape as it's not as forgiving as something like Cabernet.

Not sure that a Douro wine necessarily has to be 100% of any varietal. How many BDX wines or CdPs (or ports for that matter) are 100% of a single varietal? There are so many grapes and so many possible directions for Douro wines. Another reason to not want international varietals being brought in. The winemaking techniques do still seem to be up for grabs at this point. I just hope they try to stay as true as possible to the philosophy that great wine is made in the vineyard and not in the winery, but that's just me.

[Andy Velebil]

There really hasn't been. For the most part table wine in the Douro was a village level, at best, quality level for consumption by locals. Not much was sold abroad. It really didn't start coming round until the early to mid 1990's. It's still a relatively young product and IMO they are still sorting out how to deal with it on many fronts. What varietals is just one issue as I don't think Touriga Nacional should be that grape. Few people have figured out how to make a good wine with just that grape as it's not as forgiving as something like Cabernet.

Not sure that a Douro wine necessarily has to be 100% of any varietal. How many BDX wines or CdPs (or ports for that matter) are 100% of a single varietal? There are so many grapes and so many possible directions for Douro wines. Another reason to not want international varietals being brought in. The winemaking techniques do still seem to be up for grabs at this point. I just hope they try to stay as true as possible to the philosophy that great wine is made in the vineyard and not in the winery, but that's just me.

I agree with not needing to be 100% of any varietal. I think the history of the region is on blending and they should focus on that as the main stay.

[Glenn E.]

I agree with not needing to be 100% of any varietal. I think the history of the region is on blending and they should focus on that as the main stay.

And perhaps more to the point for the Douro region, it seems to me that no one blend should be the focus either. The Douro seems to be to be about diversity and making greatness out of whatever you happen to have on hand. Crasto is embracing this with their policy when vines need to be replaced - the vine that comes out of the field is replaced by the exact same variety so that the field blend does not change.