Quinta Valle D. Maria Vinhas do Sabor Douro Superior 2020 – Douro

The wine has a deep ruby color. The nose is reserved and requires aeration. It then expresses notes of herbs and roasted fruits (roasted bouquet garni, roasted red cherry, roasted raspberry), with a slight touch of roasted meat in the background, associated with a ripe and juicy fruitiness (aromas of morello cherry, crushed wild strawberry, raspberry coulis, black plum, amarena cherry), with a sweet touch of cherry in chocolate and dark chocolate, as well as a fine spiciness, which is expressed after aeration (liquorice, gray pepper, crushed coriander seeds, ground nutmeg), with a delicate floral bouquet (fresh iris, peony) and a racy minerality (graphite, even a slightly saline note in the background). The palate offers tension, elegance and gourmandise, a fleshy fruit, but all in finesse. It expresses a beautiful complexity and combines the flavors of black plum, blackberry, morello cherry, prunes in chocolate, crushed wild strawberries and raspberry jam with sweet spices (roasted vanilla, cinnamon, liquorice, nutmeg, clove), chocolate, torrefaction (coffee, toasted hazelnut), herbs (roasted bouquet garni) and slightly sweet floral notes (iris, peony). The tannins are melted and velvety. Beautiful length, on the gourmandise of cherry and prunes in chocolate, balanced by a nice salivating acidity.