Adega da Cartuxa Scala Coeli Reserva

First time to try this premium Alentejano wine, paired with Pata Negra Portuguese ham. Presumably a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet and possibly Touriga National (interesting to note the web shows reviews referring to all of these grapes with no clear consensus). First impression was a smack in the face driven by biting alcohol and rough tannins, but after a hour decant the wine passed through a couple stages that ultimately ended in a soft, supple dream of a Bordeaux-like …