2019 Parcela Unica Alvarinho

The 2019 Parcela Única is an Alvarinho aged for nine months in new French oak. It comes in at 12.9% alcohol, with less than 1.5 grams of residual sugar and 6.4 of total acidity. As always, this is an oakier wine than its upper-level sibling, the Curtimenta, but it handles it extremely well this year, managing always to seem fresh. That's always my first question. Then, it projects depth and a rounder feel. The depth is relative to the region, of course. This might sometimes seem more like a fine white Burgundy in character, but it is always going to be a little on the lighter and fresher side. The finish has grip but also some tinge of sweet oak mingled with fine fruit. It's pretty delicious, as well as gripping. As with its sibling, this is a style designed for food. It is certainly friendly enough, though, so that it is drinkable on its own. (That, however, is probably not its highest and best use.) This is a fine vintage for this, balanced and impressive. The only remaining question concerns its ability to develop more. I suspect it will. It should age well.