2012 Quinta da Pellada

The 2012 Tinto (Quinta da Pellada), the flagship estate wine, is a rather brilliant 2012, aged for 26 months in well-used French oak of varying ages. Notwithstanding the fun terroir exercises this issue, in which Castro bottled different parcels of Pellada separately, this famous blend still demands attention and may be the best of the group. More surprisingly, granting that I don't have them side by side, my first thought on tasting it was that this might be better than the more heralded 2011 vintage. Maybe that was more closed at the time? Maybe it will age better? We'll get the answer to that as these two beauties age—both have a substantial likelihood of improving in the cellar—but Álvaro Castro was surprised to hear me say it, and said he thought so, too. This is tightly wound, beautifully structured, deep and perfectly balanced. Although I hate to use the analogy in a way, it is a wine that evokes Burgundy and it does everything well. The slightly crisp edge allows it to be enlivening as well as complex and concentrated. This puppy is quite approachable, but that is deceptive. It is not showing all it can be. Give it a few years if you can so that it can become more expressive. It should age well. Get your orders in. It is set for release on September 1, 2017.