Quinta do Vale Meão Meandro Red 2019

Named after the vast meander taken by the Douro river around the estate, this wine is structured with polished signs of wood aging. The second wine from the property, it shows plenty of ripe black fruits and good concentration. It will be ready to drink from 2025.

The 2019 Meandro do Vale Meão is a blend of 44% Touriga Nacional, 35% Touriga Franca, 15% Tinta Roriz and dollops of Tinta Barroca and Alicante Bouschet for the rest, all aged in used French oak for 14 months. It comes in at 14.1% alcohol. This wasn't seen too long ago, but a little bottle time often helps a new wine expand. The fruit is more open and expressive now. Originally, it seemed nicely concentrated but perhaps even more so now in terms of intensity of flavor. If it opens, it's soft and fruity, still demonstrating that with aeration, there is a real backbone. You can drink this now, but it might be better this time next year, and it should age gracefully for at least a decade. I'm not sure how many rewards there will be if you age it a long while, but this will continue to evolve and become more harmonious. It will be interesting to see if it can become something much more, but I suspect people won't be able to keep their hands off of it long enough to find out. It's pretty delicious. It is worth leaning up a little today.

This harmonious red features creamy tannins deftly knit with flavors of mulled cherry, dried mint, licorice drop and fresh earth. Spiced and chewy on the finish. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Alicante Bouschet. Drink now through 2025. 20,000 cases made, 2,000 cases imported.