2015 QUINTA DO VALLADO “RESERVA” DOURO

If I were to choose just one International wine that I’ve discovered in my career that perfectly represents everything great in a wine, Quinta Do Vallado is it.  And while the texture, flavors and depth are ridiculously irresistible, what I love most about this wine is that it’s incredibly unique and yet it appeals to nearly everyone who tries it. One taste offers a lasting impression of deep red and black fruits, wild complexity and a long and persistent, satiny finish. Portugal’s dry wines are simply making a lot of dedicated, die-hard enthusiasts, and this bottle will push them over th e top.  In fact, on the 2014 Wine Spectator Top 100 list, wines #1, #3 & #4 were all from the Douro region of Portugal, and to me, I’ve tried them all and this one is even better.

A fusion of more than 30 grape varietals, Vallado’s 2013 Reserva asserts a crescendo of tightly wound, brilliantly focused fruit, and is more vibrant than a Nadir Afonso painting.  Utilizing fruit from ancient vines more than 100 years old, Quinta do Vallado’s 2015 Reserva has already earned 93 Points from Robert Parker.  Very few cases of the Reserva were imported this year, and having already earned a high score, this one certainly won’t be available for very long.