Pintas Douro White Guru 2017

-- Parker: The 2017 Guru is a field blend from old vines, mostly Viosinho, Rabigato, Códega do Larinho and Gouveio, aged for seven months in 90% used French oak. It comes in at 13% alcohol. This was originally seen just shortly after bottling in Porto. It is now in the USA with a little more rest. In structure, this is typically one of Douro's best whites. I'm not always as convinced by other factors, but this year might be a touch different. The structure is still very fine, but it is not the most intense or tightly wound in the brand. The fruit, however, makes this unusually sexy. It shows off some ripeness, and it seems rather full-bodied. It has expanded with time and evolved, becoming more delicious and expressive. In short, it's a lot more ready to drink now. Textured with velvet, it handles the wood rather well too. This might not be the greatest Guru ever, but the more I tasted it, the more I liked it. It should hold well, and it probably will improve as it ages. 92/100