Pocas 2019 Duoro Tinto Reserva 750ml

The 2019 Reserva is mostly a field blend from old vines (40 to 60 years old), with 20% Touriga Nacional and 10% Tinta Roriz added in. It was all aged in 70% new French oak for 12 months and comes in at 14.4% alcohol. This year introduces some Tinta Roriz for "spiciness," the winery says. It does have a little spiciness, so that's a nice touch. The rest is nice too. This shows reasonable concentration and even better structure, with fine firmness on the finish. It has a balanced, restrained demeanor. It's wonderfully fresh, the fruit seeming expressive, alive and even younger than the vintage date would suggest. The structure beautifully supports this wine without ever getting in the way. The fruit is lifted. The tannins wrap around it. The final result is impeccable balance. This should make a great food wine. It is extremely young, and it might yet have some opportunity to improve. It will certainly develop over the next few years and hold for a reasonable time.

Score: 90 points -- Mark Squires, The Wine Advocate, 2021