TN: 2000 Quinta do Crasto Old Vine Reserva

[Roy Hersh]

2000 Quinta do Crasto Reserva Vinha Velhas DOC Douro Red - This is the oldest version of this wine that I have yet to try. The Old Vines Crasto showed really well and promising for the first hour and a half and then seemed to start to revert into a shell. Initially the nose was screaming with sexy scents of leather, spice, underbrush notes and red currants. The fruit was primary early on, providing lots of complex waves of flavor showing earthy black raspberry and prune with a touch of cedar. I really liked this a lot and it was a tale of two wines. Early on it was much more forward, even a bit tannic towards the end. But as time progressed it showed more tart flavors of rhubarb and dry pomegranate, with tons of acidity but the tannins had receded and became very fine, softening this '00 quite a bit. A very nice wine which is drinking very well right now, but I don't see this getting any better than it is today. I had really high hopes during the first hour+. This was perfect with my steak sandwich and the long aftertaste was sublime. If you own 'em, drink over the next year or two for maximum pleasure. Off the wine list, I paid 52 euros which I thought was reasonable in a restaurant situation for a really good Douro wine of this age and ilk. 92 points 5-3-08

[Andy Velebil]

Quite interesting, as I just recently found one of these and bought it, and you don't see many of these older Crasto bottlings still on the market. Glad to know where it stands and that I should drink mine up sometime soon.

[Frederick Blais]

I've drank my lonely bottle of this wine 2-3 years ago and had the same impression as you do, can this wine be a slow ager once it reaches maturity? Crasto are really wine to wait for.