CH by Chocapalha Tinta 2017

Parker über: CH by Chocapalha Tinta

-- Parker: The 2017 CH is a Touriga Nacional aged for 22 months in 70% new French barriques. It comes in at 14% alcohol. If the 2016 reds from the winery this issue are unevolved, you can bet this 2017 is as well. Yet, while this is unevolved, it is arguably more elegant and fresher than the dense 2016s even now, far more graceful. The fruit is sappy and the oak is obvious up front in its youth, but this will ultimately have finesse as a hallmark. I kept this open for an extra two hours, which made it blossom a bit, but it was still relatively unevolved. The tannins are not hard, but this is still tight. Yet even now, it is also bursting with flavor and is very aromatic. In a year or three, this may well make its case better. It should improve notably and come together. It may not near its peak until the mid-2020s. While you can approach this now, because the tannins are relatively ripe, that would be a mistake. It needs some time. It should age well, so there is no rush. CH, which is certainly a short-list contender for Portugal's best southern Touriga Nacional, is sourced from a single parcel of the winery's oldest vines, cuttings from vines planted in 1989 at Chocapalha in Nelas (Dão region). There were 3,190 bottles produced. 94/100