For The Love Of Port

2003 Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines - Portugal, Douro (3/1/2014)
Candied fruit, caramel, toasty oak, clamping tannins and very weak acidity. A difficult pairing with food due to its lack of acidity and heat (14.5% abv). Too bad so many Douro producers are selling out to the New World style, which obliterates nuance and personality of the local varieties. In the end, this was drinkable enough for the style. Not scored. 2 hours in decanter.

This wine, along with other vintages, are always well received when young. Tom, do you think they are too modern in style to age gracefully?

Mahmoud.

Hi Mahmoud. I don't want to stir up a debate about wines styles, people who have done much drinking with me know I have pretty strong opinions on the "Parkerized" New World style and how it has decimated the wine scene. But in essence, I've never believed that unbalanced wines come into balance through aging. I don't believe alcohol ever "integrates" or becomes less bothersome through aging (unless we're talking 80 years or more, maybe). And I've never seen a flabby, low-acid wine become less flabby with age. (Unlike some people, though, I don't mind ample toasty oak in young wines, I've tasted it in young Bordeaux for many years and seen how it can evolve and integrate when done properly.)

So, bottom line for me, wines in the style of this Crasto are most likely best consumed on the young side, while they at least have pretty fruit to enjoy.

2003 was a very hot year in the Douro, think of the 2003 Vintage Ports and how ripe they are or many other wine areas of the world. IMO, 2003 was not the best year for most Douro wines due to this heat. Many are very ripe and can have protruding alcohol. 2004 and even 2005, where it wasn't as hot, the wines are far more balanced, less candied, and more typical of a true Douro wine as a result.

I also will add that this was a time when Crasto was using a lot of new oak and was going for a more international style. For my palate, they have significantly toned down the oak and ripeness since this time, and the wines are much better for it.

David Spriggs wrote:I also will add that this was a time when Crasto was using a lot of new oak and was going for a more international style. For my palate, they have significantly toned down the oak and ripeness since this time, and the wines are much better for it.

Interesting part is since about 2003 the wines have had between 16-18 months of 85% French oak and 15% American oak (225l). So basically very similar oak treatments each year yet some are very different than others on how they handle and integrate that oak. I wonder what it is which causes such the wide swing in how sometimes it is a bit prominent and sometimes not. I do think this will be a good discussion next time I see the Crasto crew.

Andy Velebil wrote: Interesting part is since about 2003 the wines have had between 16-18 months of 85% French oak and 15% American oak (225l). So basically very similar oak treatments each year ...

All fresh, or are they re-using more barrels now? And if fresh, maybe different toasting?

Eric Menchen wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote: Interesting part is since about 2003 the wines have had between 16-18 months of 85% French oak and 15% American oak (225l). So basically very similar oak treatments each year ...

All fresh, or are they re-using more barrels now? And if fresh, maybe different toasting?

To my knowledge they are all new oak and similar toast. But I'll ask and find out for sure.