Pocas 2021 Duoro Branco 750ml

The 2021 Branco Reserva is a blend of 60% Old Vines and 40% Arinto, partly (70%) aged for 10 months in new French oak. It comes in at 11.8% alcohol. This is light and lacks a little concentration, but it feels fuller in the mouth, perhaps thanks to wood texture from barrel aging. At the same time, it integrates the wood well. The acidity and freshness are just what I've come to expect in this vintage, but it's also a lot lighter than anything I've seen from this brand so far. So far, so good. It is certainly a pleasure to drink now, well integrating its wood, not feeling too thin and showing off the beautiful structure. It has fine tension on the finish. Can it develop? It has a shot. The structure is, again, superb. The winemaker thinks this can go 20+ years. I'm not willing to commit to that yet, but it should certainly hold well, likely exceeding the drinking window.

Score: 90+ points -- Mark Squires, The Wine Advocate, 2022