Quinta do Crasto, Vinha Maria Teresa, Douro

Quinta do Crasto mini-vertical (Will's house, Forest Hill, London) : Dark crimson. Clearly a warm-climate wine--very full nose of blackberry and plum with a hint of palpable alcohol. But it is kept in check on the palate by a strong acidic backbone. Lovely soft mouthfeel, not much tannin present at this stage. Still primary, can go a bit further. Not much of a finish, and turns slightly sour with air. Overpriced.

Spain and Portugal at Craftsman : When first opened/tasted this reminded me of my first taste of the '94 Phelps Insignia. By dinner it had closed down considerably but was still pretty tasty. The nose gives a brooding but captivating mix of dark fruit, black olives and figs. On the palate this has a silky texture and is bursting with flavors of dark fruit, cocoa, and oak. Well balanced. Nice finish.

Occasional tasting group: Portugal plus some extra's. (@ RT) : Luxurious wine. Cocoa, cassis and luxurious oak in the bouquet. Concentrated and complex. Good harmony. Long finish. Great wine.

Exploring the wines of Portugal @ Raimondo's (Netherlands) : Powdery nose took me back to the Calheiros Cruz in the previous flight: cocoa, cinnamon, but this one had a lot more dark fruit, oak and concentration. The density of this wine is impressive, alas alcohol is not integrated yet. But boy, is that finish loooong! Would have obtained an 'outstanding' score when the alcohol would have been slightly less prominant. Beautiful wine, though. 17.5/20

So brilliant it glows, beautiful deep red color, amazing nose, very complex, ripe red fruit all over. Perfect attack, balanced and unforgettable finish. Layers of fruit over a perfect backbone. This wine is worth hours of sole dedication to him.