Alvaro Castro: Dente d'Ouro Quinta da Pellada 2015

Parker über: Dente d'Ouro Quinta da Pellada

-- Parker: The 2015 Dente d'Ouro is a field blend (not from Pellada) aged for 16 months in seventh use French barriques. It comes in at just 13% alcohol. Mostly Jaen and Baga, but including many other grapes, this is one of the wines sourced from more or less centenarian vines that the producer has discovered in other vineyards in the area. As indicated in my first note on this wine, Maria Castro said, 'The name and the label came from a long history that I had with the owner of this block and a young actor friend of my younger daughter that was helping me during the harvest and during grape price negotiation. The photo behind the label was taken with a mobile phone while she [the owner] was crying because the guy kissed her and she was widowed just three months ago.' She also said that this is one of their experimental wines, 'made in order to preserve the genetic heritage of our bush vineyard. We have identified three vineyards with almost 100 years.' Surprisingly full in mouthfeel, this is still all about elegance and finesse, but it has plenty of energy and life too. Firm on the finish, bright and silky, this is now an ethereal wine in some ways. It adds complexity and nuance too. Ready to drink now, this has evolved well thanks to the three extra years in bottle since I first saw it. As a result, it has blossomed and become expressive. It's in a good place now, assuming you like understatement. This is the type of wine that is so hard to pull off—elegant and almost delicate at times yet never thin or boring, never fading. It should continue to age well, but what that means on this relatively new label is not entirely clear. There is no risk for the rest of this decade. Then, we'll see if it is really a long-distance runner. Right now, this was in many ways a favorite, one of the ones I'd most want to drink today. But if you're talking $150 and even bigger scores, it also has to be the wine that will continue improving and look as great in 2030 too. I think this will do that, but let's be content with this small uptick in score at the moment. For the moment, it might be the most beautiful wine in this group. That's a hint. 95/100