Decisions, decisions

[Roy Hersh]

I am having a hard time picking a Douro red wine for tonight.

My short list:

2004 Quinta Vale Meao
2001 Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional
2005 Quinta do Vale Dona Maria
2005 Pinalta
2001 Niepoort Charme


:help: please!

[Marco E.]

Yes - a difficult decision indeed! Are you planning on serving this with a particular dish or course? Nonetheless, my vote would be for the Crasto Touriga Nacional. I had a bottle of Quinta Vale Meao about a month ago of the same vintage and I was underwhelmed after having saved it for a few years. Upon opening and even after decanting, it never "woke up" so to speak.

A friend of mine always says that it very rare to get a bad bottle of Monte Velho Tinto a wine produced by Esporão (Alentejo) and I would also suggest that is the case with Quinta do Crasto. I got a great deal on the generic Douro bottling a few weeks ago for $10.99 a bottle. That has been my house red for the last few weeks!

Boa Sorte!

[David Spriggs]

2001 Niepoort Charme? You mean 2002? I would expect that it would be very good!
Also 2001 Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional is awesome but needs decanting.
The 2005 Pinalta should also be good with decanting.

I think both the Vale Meao and Vale Dona Maria are closed.
-Dave-

[Marc J.]

I'd vote for the 2001 Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional. Of the five wines listed that one stands out (at least to me) as the "the choice" for this evening.

Marc

[Roy Hersh]

It wound up a very strange weekend in terms of wines ... 16 bottles over a two day period but the decisions were to do a couple of Douro whites, while the red that I chose, 2001 Crasto Touriga Nacional, wound up getting nixed for one of my mags of '98 Musar, chosen by one of my friends (we had the 2001 Crasto TN together in April so he wanted to try something he had not had before).

I did manage to squeeze in the 2007 Kopke and also a Crasto ... both were Douro whites. The Kopke with more body, a bit flamboyant and certainly will be the better ager; while the Crasto was no slouch and was befitting a mezzaluna course, deftly handled with great aplomb and the requisite acidity to carry the dish.