TN: 2004 Quinta do Crasto Old Vines Reserva -- 375 m.l.

[Roy Hersh]

I have so few 1/2 bottles in my cellar and especially of any kind of red wines. Maybe 30 of 700 Ports in that format, but for DOC Douro or other red wines from Portugal or elsewhere, less than a half dozen. I have had this bottle since close to release and one of the 2003 version too. My wife is away and I grilled steaks and opened this small bottle for myself, while having dinner with my daughter. She actually liked this one. I did too, it was so big upon opening, so I gave it an hour in decanter and mag decanter and it opened up very quickly. Loved it. TN in the next newsletter, but for me, it was extraordinary and deserving of 95 points. It was more mature than any recent 750 but showed where the larger bottle will be by mid-next-decade.

[David Spriggs]

I still have a few 750 bottles of this. The last time I tasted this I thought it was fading fast. I'll open one soon to compare.

[Andy Velebil]

I still have a few 750 bottles of this. The last time I tasted this I thought it was fading fast. I'll open one soon to compare.

I still have a few as well. I have come to the conclusion that most of these Reserva type level wines, especially from this era, do best in the 8-10 year range. Sure they’ll last longer but they often have lost some of their complexity and too much oak that will never integrate shows through.

That said, it’s important to remember these types of wines are generally meant to supplant their upper end wines during the early aging years. They are clearly made in a more approachable style. They are not meant to age for multiple decades. In that, they do quite well.

[David Spriggs]

You can see my note on the 2004 Crasto Old vines here: 2004 Quinta do Crasto
I'm not convinced that it's at peak, but it's close. I would expect that the 2011 would last as well as this wine, and probably better. For off vintages (2006, 2010, 2012, etc), I would expect that Andy's 8-10 year is certainly a good time to check in. However, I will say that I recently had my last 2006 version of this wine, and it was awesome!