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Saturday 12 January 2013

Quinta do Escudial Garrafeira Vinhas Velhas 2006

17 / 20
Producer: Quinta do Escudial
Region:Dão
Country:Portugal

I was really surprised when I tasted this wine in a fair in Lisbon in November. A 6-year old unoaked red wine should taste a little tired, right? It should feel a bit old, maybe?

Well, this didn't. Starting by the color, a vibrant ruby and following up on the aromas, where notes of dried pine leaves mingled with some very alive red wild berries. Later on, the traditional flowery notes also appear in the form of buckroses.

In the palate, the first impact is of a fresh wine, showing some slight notes of leather at first and some alive, yet velvety tannins. It does not show much fruit at first, relying more on leather, a slight metalic feel, tobacco leaves, but as it opens, it reveals an outstanding red fruit and flowery profile that's truly amazing. Deep, long, very elegant and poised, it's a great wine by any standards. The fact that it has not staged in oak just pushes this into another level.

A great example of an old world wine.


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