2017 Casa Ferreirinha Quinta da Leda

Blackberries, black cherries, violets, dark chocolate, paprika and walnuts on the nose. It’s full-bodied with firm, fine tannins and sharp acidity. Juicy, rich and polished with good fruit concentration. Structured with persistent acidity. Delicious already, but better from 2022.

45% Touriga Franca, 30% Touriga Nacional, 15% Tinto Cão, 10% Tinta Roriz. 2017 was a particularly warm and dry year in the Douro, with the maximum, median and minimum temperatures all around 5 °C higher than average. Rainfall was also approximately 50% lower than usual. As a result of the warm and dry conditions, the grapes ripened at a faster pace than usual and the harvest began on 22 August for the red varieties, one of the earliest harvest dates on record. TA 5.3 g/l, RS 0.8 g/l, pH 3.7. In this hot, dry year, they used more fruit from the cooler sites (higher or north-facing) as well as picking earlier. Very dark with black core. Back to riper black fruits of plums and damsons in this warmer, drier year. Sweet and slightly leathery on the nose but that eucalyptus character comes out with time in the glass. On the palate, lots of chewy grip but not in the least astringent. Polished but present tannins and avoids the overripeness of many of the 2017s I have tasted so it keeps its dark, rocky Douro character. Surprisingly savoury and dark, with dark chocolate on the finish. Oak well integrated. (JH)