The 2016 Vinha da Ponte, a field blend from very old vines (100 years), was aged in new French oak for 20 months.
Reviews:
- Wine Advocate: The 2016 Vinha da Ponte, a field blend from very old vines (100 years), was aged in new French oak for 20 months. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol. Elegant and carefully concentrated—meaning you can feel the concentrated fruit but without jam and sloppiness—this brooding Ponte has a big kick on the finish. Powerful, intense and stern, it doesn’t show a lot of expressive fruit compared to the Maria Teresa (despite some six hours of double decanting)—it never does when young. It typically develops later and always lacks Maria Teresa’s lively personality overall. Despite its brooding nature, this still seems exceptional, though. It is a very fine Ponte that has the potential for long aging (perhaps even better than indicated) and development in the cellar. As with the 2016 Maria Teresa, I’m a little wary of this wine (it was only in bottle for 90 days and recently shipped to boot), but I’m leaning up a bit here. As Ponte goes, this was more expressive than normal, while retaining all of its typical concentration and power. This will be released sometime in 2020, but it sure won’t be ready then. Try it around 2025-2027 for better results. There were 4,200 bottles produced, plus some large-format bottles.
Producer Information
Quinta do Crasto is a well-regarded estate in the Douro region founded in 1615, although it is sometimes viewed as something of a newcomer. This is due to a change in Portuguese wine law which allowed single quintas to bottle and export wine. Following this, Quinta do Crasto has been producing Port and table wine under its own label since 1994. The portfolio includes LBV and Vintage Port, plus a range of table wines under the Quinta do Crasto and Crasto labels. The estate has 70 hectares (175 acres) of south-facing terraced vineyards located in the heart of the Cima Corgo. These are carved into the schist bedrock on the hills above the Douro river, reaching altitudes of around 2000ft (600m) above sea level. The vineyard terraces are planted to a host of classic Port varieties, in traditional mixed plantings.
