TN: 2006 Quinta do Crasto Old Vines Reserva

[Otto Nieminen]

With the sudden extra hype surrounding this wine, it was interesting to taste the newest release:

Quinta do Crasto Douro Old Vines Reserva 2006
The scent was quite lovely, brambly, full of red berries and flowers with some darker fruit tones underneath to bring in a bit of gravitas; sadly the palate was burlier than the scent promised and the 14,5% alcohol was noticeable. Lovely scent, but otherwise quite a brute.

In previous vintages I have also found the scent to be quite brutish and perhaps a bit more in the "international" style than preferable. With this 2006 I was happy that I didn't find oak on the nose and that rather from the first sniff it screamed Douro at me. I am certain that the burliness will calm down with time, but I am worried at how strongly I noticed the alcohol. Just on the scent alone, this might be my favourite vintage of the old vine reservas.

[Roy Hersh]

There is a reason for this "burliness" and the massive presence. WIthout getting too detailed until it is ready to be released in the USA (we promised ... and it will be in Jan. here!) there is more of the great old vines from single vineyards than previous versions. The ripeness of the fruit has a bit to do with the higher alc. level. At this very early stage it is like a first kiss, but wait until this settles down a few more months and it will be gorgeous down the road and even one to cellar for the LT. This is the reason it is not released on the marketplace here or in the UK at this time. Were you at a tasting where this was being provided for those in the trade?

[David Spriggs]

I believe it's currently released in the UK, but not the Touriga Nacional or Maria Teresa. Europe always seems to get theirs before the US.

-Dave-

[Otto Nieminen]

Roy, this was indeed in a formal tasting but it wasn't a sample bottle - the restaurant/importer has stores of it - so I assumed it had been released already. It is interesting news that they are using older parcels for the '06. So what vineyards is it now sourced from? Despite the alcohol, I'm hoping it will become available in retail as I would like to see what a bit of age does to it - I would imagine that in 10 years it might be a very enjoyable wine as long as the alcohol doesn't start to dominate.

-O

[David Spriggs]

So what vineyards is it now sourced from?

There was no Vinha da Ponte in 2006, so I assume that all of that went into this wine.
-Dave-

[Roy Hersh]

It may be written elsewhere, but we were asked not to mention that detail (yet) so hopefully someone can provide details who was not part of the 2008 Port Harvest Tour (what is mentioned in the Douro in confidence ...). Regardless of specifics for now, the fact that old vine juice wound up in this and the fact that most of us that really know Crasto well and this wine in particular, were so excited by it (so much so that I ordered 5 bottles of it at a pair of different restaurants) says something very positive. I have zero doubt that the alcohol will integrate with time. 2006 was a fairly lackluster year in many parts of the Douro, but clearly, Crasto got it right (and a few others did too).

[Otto Nieminen]

Is there some reason you were asked not to reveal information on this vintage? I'm not sure I understand why a winery would not want to have info available.

[Roy Hersh]

Very simple, because they don't want a wine to sell out so quickly that they won't have anything in the pipeline for nearly another year. There is something called "strict allocations" and along with that, something known as price increases. Note the difference in price in the 2004/2005 and then the 2006. Increasing pricing is just another way to slow down sales while maximizing profits of course. Sometimes the sales don't slow down though and the winery then has problems.

I remember when this happened to Michael Mondavi with his Mondavi "Coastal" Chardonnay in the late 1990s, when they were still the owners and he was running the show. They were out for over a half a year of that key wine that hurt restaurants, hotels and clubs around the USA that had this as a glass pour on wine lists. It nearly cost him his job and I am not kidding, as Mondavi was publicly traded at the time.

Wine and the business politics involved is something that seems simple on the surface.

[Roy Hersh]

The stock of Old Vines Reserva 2006 was already shipped to all export markets and only a small allocation is left for the SAQ (900 bottles) and for the LCBO (2.400). This last stock will be shipped to Canada in January next year, the same time these wines will be launched in the USA.

[Scott Kipping]

I agree with Otto, this wine is FAR different than the last few vintages. According to the distrubutor it contains some amounts of declassified Da Ponte and Maria Theresa. This has added a steel core of tannin to this wine, it is not juicy, sweet or forgiving right now. That said this still made me say WOW. Unyielding black fruit in a acidic and tannic grip, you were just able to taste fleeting indicators of how good this will be in the years to come. This will be one long lived wine, easily the longest lived Old Vines Reserva ever. Still holding at $40.00 cdn=30.00US. Bravo Do Crasto and Jack Segal