Quinta do Crasto Douro Vinha da Ponte 2004

Lobenberg: Unglaublich dicht und wuchtig, eine Fruchtbombe und ein Powerwein. Liegt irgendwo zwischen einem fast trockenen Superport, einem Amarone und einem Grange Hermitage, dabei aber deutlich geringerer Restzucker, kein Hauch von Marmeladigkeit. Groß und doch sehr angenehm zu trinken. 95/100

Parker: RP: The "Vinha da Ponte" is a field blend from a vineyard first planted in 1914 by the current owners' grandfather. It has become one of Portugal's priciest, best and most famous wines at this juncture. The 2004 "Vinha da Ponte" is unfiltered and was aged in French oak barriques for eighteen months. Fragrant and seductive, this is a wine you can have fun just smelling at the outset. Its nose is one of its best features and worth a couple of points right there. The tannins are relatively refined, but clearly there, providing grip on the lingering finish, and becoming more obvious as the wine airs out and wakes up. It has a lively, sunny feel to it, although some oak is obvious around the edges at the moment. The mid-palate is elegantly crafted, not particularly thick, but with significant aeration, it fleshes out, expands and becomes lusher and more flavorful. This does not wins first prize in any category – depth, intensity, power – but it is impeccably balanced, very flavorful, refined and a pleasure to drink. It projects a suave feel, and the purity of its bright, flavorful fruit is a wonderful thing. Utterly closed when I first opened it, showing pretty much nothing and requiring nearly four hours in a decanter, it finally began to expand in the glass and flesh out, showing more depth, flavor and intensity. The more it opened up, the more beautiful the fruit became. I look forward to great things from this wine as it evolves in the cellar. It is not always an "obvious" wine, although no one will ever mistake it for austere. Give it a chance, think about it, and sit with it. I am betting that this will become more complex and more interesting as it evolves in the cellar. 95/100