2016 Quinta do Carvalhas
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Tasting notes
Aromatics reminiscent of crushed dark fruit with underbrush. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, this has subtle fruit, freshness, grippy tannins and a delicate finish. Complex and multidimensional. A field blend of extremely old vines. Aged 12 months in 20% new and 80% used French oak barrels. Great now but better to wait five years.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Mark Squires
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Vinhas Velhas da Quinta das Carvalhas is a field blend from old vines aged for 18 months in new French oak. It comes in at 14% alcohol. This opens like a young Vintage Port, with dark color, up-front waves of flavor and perfume on the nose. Despite the oak, it seems pure in flavor. It shows fine tannins on the finish, offering plenty of support for the fruit, which is reasonably ripe. Its elegance is very appealing. I think the 2015 is better than this—we'll see—but this will age well too. There were 930 cases produced.
About the producer
Real Companhia Velha is the oldest wine company in Portugal, founded in 1756. It was initially entrusted with maintaining the quality and purity of Port wines coming from the Douro after counterfeiting and adulteration had discredited the region, leading to a significant drop in exports.