Encontro 1 2011

Description

The 2011 Encontro 1 is an equal blend of Baga and Touriga Nacional aged for 18 months in a mixture of new and used French oak. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol. Frequently on the stunning side, this is concentrated and structured, with velvety texture as the cherry on top. There's good acidity and ample power, but this is beautifully balanced. The nose has a touch of earthiness for character. The wood does interfere a bit with the Baga character, but it is not too strong. Even Baga purists might like how it shows after 90 minutes of decanting. It is drinking nicely now, but it should easily improve over the next decade. This is probably the most interesting bottle I've seen yet from this Quinta (owned by Global Wines). It may age even better than anticipated. I need to see this hold well over the next decade to justify my enthusiasm, but I think it will. There were just 4,267 bottles produced. Drink date: 2018-2035. Score - 94. (Mark Squires, robertparker.com, Dec. 28, 2018)

Tags

Baga/Touriga Nacional, Red Wine, Wine, XD - Extra Dry