Pormenor Reserva Branco 2016

Description

The 2016 Reserva Branco is a blend of old vines (90+ years), focusing on Rabigato and Malvasia Fina. It was aged for ten months in well-used (three to seven years) French oak and comes in at just 11.8% alcohol. This is a replay of the unoaked Branco this issue as far as style goes-elegant, on the leaner and focused side, crisp and intense-but it adds that bit of wood that mutes the freshness. The wood is well controlled and old, of course, so there is no drenched-in-vanilla aspect, just some tannins and intensity. There is also a sweeter edge here, relatively speaking. Since the wood is well used, that is a burst of fruitiness, not sweet oak. In the long run, this should age beautifully. It will easily surpass and separate from the unoaked Branco this issue. At the moment, though, they are about equal. So, buy both and drink the unoaked Branco younger. Not imported, this runs around 20 euros in Portugal. Drink Date: 2018-2026. Score - 92. (Mark Squires, robertparker.com, April 27, 2018)

Tags

D - Dry, Full-bodied & Rich, Malvasia Fina Blend, White Wine, Wine