TN: 1996 Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional

[Roy Hersh]

The WS bestowed 96 points on the 2001 version of this wine in 2005. Back around 1998, long before most American's ever tried a dry red from the Douro, I purchased a case of this wine and have been drinking a bottle about once per year to watch how they evolve.

This was a monsterous wine from the 1996 harvest. But the grapes from Crasto were excellent, yet with an enormous tannic nature that made opening the first two or three bottles a bit "hard" overall.

Last year's bottle was certainly better. Last night's bottle: ROCKED


I was dining with friends who were visiting from Pennsylvania and are big wine lovers and enjoy Port too. They are not really what I'd call, into experimenting and stick to serious Rhone/Burg/Bordeaux whenever they can. I chose to bring something to pair with the food at one of my new favorite eateries in Seattle. I had the waiter decant this wine and about an hour later we started to drink it.

This has really fleshed out beautifully and the tannins are now much better integrated. Still incredibly youthful and showing full ruby opacity. The nose burst onto the scene and if it had been in my dining room, it would have taken over. Bright plum, floral and spicy notes flew out of the decanter and glass. Wow! Such prominence and far more expressive than even a year ago. What a beauty. On the palate, this showed a sexy and ultra-smooth mouthfeel that was supported by ripe cassis and big blackberry fruit that although powerful, chewy and dense ... was soft at the same time. It has finally hit its stride a decade out. I highly recommend this wine if it is something you can still find. It will drink beautifully for years to come. 93+ points.

[Ronald Wortel]

Thanks for the note Roy! I only ever tried the '97 and '99, and liked them very much, but neither was on the 96 point level that WS gave to the '01. Do you know if they changed the wine over the years? (e.g. more old vines.)

[Roy Hersh]

Ronnie,

As you know this particular Quinta has LOTS of old vines and would have a hard time not using them. I don't think they have changed much over the past decade. I have had the 2001 and 2003 versions of this wine and although the '01 gets the big scores the 2003 is pretty fabulous.

The Crasto 2003 Ponte and Maria Teresa are also remarkably well made wines and if you can find these at a good price, BUY them!!!

[Ronald Wortel]

I still have some 1998 Maria Teresa and 2000 Ponte waiting in the cellar... very good wines indeed! 8)

[Frederick Blais]

I did stack on the 2003 Touriga Nacional, it just amaze me. I drank 3 already this year, the finesse and complexity of a Burgundy with the ripeness of the Douro.