×
This wine is currently unavailable, the vintage 2020 is available

Quinta Do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines 2011 750ml

size
750ml
country
Portugal
region
Douro
WA
94
Additional vintages
WA
94
Rated 94 by Wine Advocate
The 2011 Reserva Old Vines (around 70 years of age on average) spent 18 months in 65% new and 35% used barriques (85% French, the rest American). The used barriques were previously new on the 2010 Reserva Old Vines. About the only bad thing you can say about this is that it is too marked by oak in its youth, but that is always true when it is young. That will become much better in time. Some cellaring will provide additional complexity as well, but it is otherwise quite approachable now even if not showing us all that it has to give. For my money, this is easily on the short list as a contender for “Best Reserva Old Vines” ever, because of its combination of concentration, lift, structure and superb balance. This is not the wine in the lineup that will always make you go “wow.” There is not a hint of bombast. However, it does everything beautifully, and balance is its hallmark. Even as it tightens with air, it proves how harmonious it is, showing off its finesse, crispness and focus. The fruit always seems fresh and lively here, never ponderous. The next day it hardly seemed changed. This should age pretty nicely. If all that is not enough, it is pretty tasty, too, a wine that will be hard to dislike on all fronts. Considering the price point, this is a “can’t miss” buy. There were 93,000 bottles produced. Drink now-2026.
Image of bottle
Sample image only. Please see Item description for product Information. When ordering the item shipped will match the product listing if there are any discrepancies. Do not order solely on the label if you feel it does not match product description

Quinta Do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines 2011 750ml

SKU 755823
Out of Stock
More wines available from Quinta Do Crasto
750ml
Bottle: $52.94
Rated 93 - An especially dark and dense Colheita Tawny, this has great richness and a fine balance between the fruit...
WE
93
WA
92
750ml
Bottle: $32.63
Lemon in colour, with light golden hues. Expressive on the nose, with citrus aromas, delicate floral notes and a...
Rapid Ship
750ml
Bottle: $49.94
Rated 93 - A creamy, harmonious red, with a generous range of ripe black plum, black currant, dried mint and dried...
WS
93
Sale
750ml
Bottle: $23.94 $24.50
Rated 91 - This is opening up already, with a hint of dark earth infusing the core of plum cake and blackberry...
WS
91
WA
90
More Details
barrel

Vintage: 2011

The year 2011 was an interesting year for many northern and central European countries, as the weather was more than unpredictable in the spring and summer. However, in most countries, the climatic conditions thankfully settled down in the late summer and fall. The result of this slightly difficult year of weather in France was a set of surprisingly small yields, but overall, these yields were of a higher quality than those harvested in certain previous years. A fantastic set of wines was also made in Italy and Spain, and the Rioja wines - when released - are set to be very good indeed. Austria also had superb year in 2011, with almost fifty percent more grapes being grown and used for their distinctive Gruner Veltliner wines than in the year before. Possibly the European country which had the finest 2011, though, was Portugal, with wineries in the Douro region claiming this year to be one of the best in decades for the production of Port wine, and the bright, young Vinho Verdes wines. In the New World, the Pacific Northwest saw some of the best weather of 2011, and Washington State and Oregon reportedly had a highly successful year, especially for the cultivation of high quality red wine grapes. Chile and Argentina had a relatively cool year, which certainly helped retain the character of many of their key grape varietals, and should make for some exciting drinking. South Africa had especially good weather for their white wine grape varietals, particularly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and many South African wineries are reporting 2011 as one of their best years in recent memory.
barrel

Region: Douro

The undisputed jewel in Portugal's crown is the beautiful wine region of Douro, located along the banks of the river from where it gets its name. The region itself is renowned around the world for its range of wonderfully aromatic fortified wines, as well as a wide variety of still red and white wines made from native grape varietals. Wineries in the Douro region utilize a huge amount of different local grapes for their characterful wines, but generally the most popular are made from Tinta Roriz, a rich and flavorful red wine grape related to Spain's flagship Tempranillo. However, there are plenty of different red and white grape varietals used in the region, all benefiting from the excellent hot weather and mineral rich terroir which characterizes the Douro valleys.
fields

Country: Portugal

Most of us are quick to associate Portugal primarily with the excellent fortified wines which come out of the Porto area, but there is much more to Portuguese viticulture than just this. Perhaps the most popular still wines the country produces are the varieties from the Vinho Verde region, which uses grapes that do not achieve high doses of sugar, meaning the wines are at their best when young and full of natural, springy fruit flavors The wines of the Douro region have undergone many transformations in their flavor and character over the centuries; once regarded as a bitter wine, the exporters experimented with fortifying the wine with brandy. After several centuries, vintners found a balance in the modern age which is at once reminiscent of Port wine, yet with the structure and character closer to other fine Portuguese wines. Thanks to the appellation system of Portugal and the strict laws governing wine production, Portuguese wines continue to maintain their reputation for quality and the distinctive characteristics they carry.