Quinta de la Rosa La Rosa Tinto, Douro, Portugal

羅莎洛莎干紅葡萄酒

點擊次數：7951

The 2020 Tinto is a roughly equal blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca this year, all aged for 12 months in 30% new French oak (the rest, well used). It comes in at 13.5% alcohol. This is not a step up over the entry-level douROSA in this report (of course, it is also only $5 more). You do, however, get a differently styled wine that has pros and cons. They may have different admirers. The wood gives this a velvety rather than silky texture. The expressive and pure blue fruit is muted slightly by the wood too. There is more power, a bit more grip on the finish. However, the tannins are ripe here too. This will likely age a little better, but neither is really a great wine to cellar for an extended time. I'm being cautious on the aging curve for each, although they may do better. Which to get? I'd save the $5 and take the douROSA myself, but ultimately, it really depends on your personal taste and your intended use. This, for instance, may hold up a bit better to stronger food pairings.

The 2017 Tinto is a 60/12 blend of Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca with 8% Tinta Roriz, 5% Sous?o and the rest from old vines, all aged for 12 months in used French oak. It comes in at 13.4% alcohol. It is mostly sourced from the winery's Lamelas vines (about 30 years old). In a big and eccentric Douro year, this controls everything well. It's ripe and fruity, but never over the top. In fact, it has good solidity in the mid-palate as well as good balance. It also has a touch of jam in its youth and finishes with that fruit-forward demeanor. It was still a touch closed when I saw it, but it should open fast and be more or less ready by the time you read this. It won't really need any cellaring, but it should hold reasonably well for several years. Drink it on the younger side, though, no matter how long it theoretically lasts, to preserve what it does best. It may not stay at peak for all of its useful life.

The 2016 Tinto is mostly Touriga Nacional, with 12% Touriga Franca and 8% Tinta Roriz, plus various others filling out the blend, including a dollop of old vines. It was aged for 12 months in used French oak and comes in at 13.4% alcohol. This takes the fruit-forward demeanor of the douROSA, adds a layer or two of concentration and doubles down on everything. It is not quite as exuberant as the douRosa, but it has a more serious approach and it will certainly age better. If they are pretty close now, depending on your preferences, this will easily be the winner in a couple of years. The wood changes the texture, of course, adding some velvet and rounding this off. The Touriga Nacional is at its aromatic best, throwing off the classic violets and some blue fruits. This is a nice bargain, an easy-drinker and house pour that has some distinction and structure. It will hold a while, but it is made to be at its best when it is relatively young, so don't plan on long aging curves, no matter how long it theoretically lasts.

The 2015 Tinto is approximately a blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Touriga Franca and 30% Tinta Roriz, aged for 12 months in an 80/20 mixture of used and new French oak. It comes in at 14% alcohol. Light and not showing a lot of concentration, this excels at everything else. It shows the fine flavors of the vintage in a serious way; the fruit is vivid and well supported by the structure. It tightens noticeably with air, seeming more serious with every ten-minute interval. Even with the modest mid-palate, this is pretty terrific. It tastes great, often seems very serious and finishes well. It is a great choice for a well-priced house pour that can age a bit. You can approach this young, but waiting another few months, if not a year, would help it become more expressive and harmonious.

The 2014 Tinto, the regular estate red, is a blend of 70% Touriga Nacional, 12% Touriga Franca, 8% Tinta Roriz, 5% Sous?o and 5% from old vines in a field blend, aged in used French oak for 18 months. As 2014s go, this has its moments, avoiding the dull flavors I see in so many. That said, the mid-palate is a bit on the light side. It is less than clear that it will keep up with the structure. It is a good effort for the year, though, tasty and clean with a fresh feel. Give the cream (from oak) a few months to integrate and this will be good to go. Right at the moment, it is worth leaning up on this overachiever. Drink it young, though. I suspect it will not reward much aging and it is more likely to go down than up after a few years.