2006 Qunta do Crasto Touriga Nacional

[Tim Swaback]

Hey guys I bought a bottle of this when WTSO had it for $50. From what people were saying about it it seemed like a fair price for a good bottle. I, however, feel ashamed that I really don't know much about it. I tried to search for it but didn't find much. If anyone can enlighten me about it I would be grateful. I know that Touriga Nacional is considered to be one of the finest grapes in Portugal but beyond that I know very little about the wine...

I don't think its technically port. Should I expect it to taste/drink like a port?
How long do you think I should cellar this wine?

Thanks for any additional information you have on this "style".

Tim

[Roy Hersh]

Hi Tim,

That is a very good price indeed. It is not however a Port whatsoever, it is a red Douro wine (table wine) which is dry, not sweet or fortified like a dessert wine. It is a fine wine and well worth $50 but I suggest you hold onto this for another two years at which time it will drink considerably better than today, as the oak still is a bit too prominent at the moment. Enjoy!

[Derek T.]

I don't think its technically port. Should I expect it to taste/drink like a port?

Tim,

What Roy says above is correct and good advice. But, for interest and intrigue, if you had asked this question 180 years ago the answer would have been very different. What you have in that bottle, being a very rich, well extracted and fully fermented red wine from the Douro, is what was once known as Port (although it would never have been a single varietal). It is very interesting that to some extent the world of Douro wine has turned full circle. I am quite sure Baron Forrester would approve

Derek

[Andy Velebil]

Tim,

Other's already mentioned the non-Port thing so....Quinta do Crasto makes three high-end Douro table wines and this is one of them. They don't make it every year, just years where the grape quality is sufficiently to warrant it. Although the Touriga Nacional is produced more often than the other two. They can be very hard to find since it's a limited production wine and typically very expensive. If you only bought one bottle then I'll agree with Roy on waiting a couple years before opening it to let some of it's youthful qualities mature.

[Mahmoud Ali]

While on the topic of Crasto's Touriga National, any advice on when to drink the the 1999 vintage of the said wine?

Cheers.............Mahmoud

[Andy Velebil]

While on the topic of Crasto's Touriga National, any advice on when to drink the the 1999 vintage of the said wine?

Cheers.............Mahmoud

I'm totally swamped at work right now so time has been a little tough this week but I'm almost positive I've had this. However, a quick thumb-through of my notes and I didn't see it. This weekend I'll try and see if I can find a TN on it.

[David Spriggs]

I don't have any notes on the 1999, but CellarTracker does. There is a note there from just last week. There is also a note from Andy from 3 years ago.
http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=9525