Quinta do Crasto Douro Old Vine Reserva - WS #3 of the year

[Andy Velebil]

Wine Spectator has named the 2005 Quinta do Crasto Reserva Old Vine as their #3 wine of the year!!! The first time a Portuguese table wine to EVER be ranked in their top 10. A huge accomplishment and the Crasto team deserves a major congratulations on a job well done

[David Spriggs]

Wow! That's exciting.... I'm sure that Crasto is thrilled!
-Dave-

[Roy Hersh]

A momentus achievement for ANY Portuguese wine and it couldn't have happened to a nicer producer. Very happy for them and Douro winemakers in general and Portuguese winemakers overall. This is a huge honor that will move mountains! They world is watching.

[Stewart T.]

Dang! Stock up on all the Crasto Old Vines you can find, since every yahoo with a subscription to WS will be out trying to buy it!

But seriously - a warm congratulations to Miguel and the team at Crasto!

[Andy Velebil]

This was pretty much sold out some time ago IIRC. Even a current check online shows only 16 stores here in the states that have it, and it looked like a couple of those were dupilcate store listings...so even less. Go luck to anyone on finding the 2005 version now, especially after this high of a ranking. Glad I got mine on release...I can see the aftermarket price going up already, but I won't ever sell them...they are for drinking

[Scott Kipping]

CONGRATUALTIONS Quinto do Crasto. As Roy stated it couldn't happen to a nicer producer. These guys travel tens of thousands of miles in the tireless effort to promote Douro wines. Well done.

Do people agree with WS giving the 05 a better rating than the 04. Personally I like the 04 better. I see the 2006 vintage is in the monopoly stores now, holding strong at 40.00 cdn.

[Andy Velebil]

IMO the 2004 is better than the '05. Perhaps the best Reserva of all those released so far. But keep your eye out for the 2006 Reserva due out in a few months. A smoking hot wine that is IMO the best of all the Reserva's so far. And I've now had them back to the 2000 vintage.

[David Spriggs]

Do people agree with WS giving the 05 a better rating than the 04.

Nope. I think that the 2004 was better.
-Dave-

[Jay Powers]

I also think the '04 is better.

Jay

[Roy Hersh]

We all do, but the 2006 bests even that vintage!

[Moses Botbol]

I've found this wine for around $35.00 a bottle. Do you think that is a good price and worth stocking up on? I bought a couple several months ago, but don't remember how much I paid and did not try it either.

[Andy Velebil]

Moses,
I think thats what I paid on release, so its a good price. Especially given its #3 ranking and I'm sure many retailers have now raised their price on this to reflect that #3 status, which is a shame. I'd say buy some..I always buy at least a case of this every year. I drink some and lay some down for a verticle some years down the road...I think that would be fun to see how they've aged.

[Moses Botbol]

I wonder if they have any complete cases? It's my birthday this week (hint hint....) so maybe that will be my gift to myself. I would like to have at least enough where I can at least try one now so I know what to look forward to.

I try to set an minimum opening date on cases purchases as I want anything I age to be mature before I start drinking. The stuff that is not in storage is fair game earlier. I too like to see how bottles develop over the years but I find I am down too low on some before they are ready.

[Mahmoud Ali]

A local wine store has a few '03s and a single bottle of '01 sitting upright on a shelf very near a window. I don't think it gets any direct sunlight through the tinted glass as it faces east and we are too far north to get a sunrise from due east.

I'll keep an eye out for an '04 but in the meantime any idea if the '01 or '03 might be a good purchase (C$30).

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

[Andy Velebil]

The 2003 is a very nice bottle and at a good price. I've never had the 2001 that I recall, but I recently had the 2000 and it was also very good, but in a very different style than the modern ones. I'd expect the 2001 to be more like the 2000, a slightly more old school rustic style than what the newer ones are. Honestly, I've never had a bad Reserva and for that price I'd say grab 'em both.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Andy,

I just passed by the wine shop. Picked up the last bottle of the '01 and an '03 Quinta do Crasto, Reserva Old Vines. At the counter the '01 was C$20.04 and the '03 was C$29.80. Not a bad deal.

Thanks for the recommendation...............Mahmoud

[Bob Parsons Alberta]

This was pretty much sold out some time ago IIRC. Even a current check online shows only 16 stores here in the states that have it, and it looked like a couple of those were dupilcate store listings...so even less. Go luck to anyone on finding the 2005 version now, especially after this high of a ranking. Glad I got mine on release...I can see the aftermarket price going up already, but I won't ever sell them...they are for drinking

I understand that there is another shipment on the way. I am sure I read that BC has scooped most of the initial allocation. Happy to muse over my `03/04/05s

[Andy Velebil]

Bob,
Good to hear from you hope all is well. Yes, I just recently seen some pop up in stores around here so I'd say another small shipment was released....grab 'em while you can.

[Scott Kipping]

Talked to the distributor last week about getting a case from Alberta and he said. "There will be NO 2006 OLD VINE RESERVA for Alberta." BC got 70 cases last week and that will be it. The 20.00 and 30.00 that Mahmoud paid imo is a great price and would be a no-brainer for me.