Crasto, Douro (Tras-os-Montes, Portugal) 2010

Here’s a  delicious example of the traditional port varieties, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional in dry red wine.  Only five percent was aged in French oak, so you really get a chance to appreciate the character of the fruit.  Flavors of blackberry, mulberry and plum mingle with savory, meaty, leather flavors and subtle notes of dried herbs.  It’s full-bodied, well balanced and finishes with dusty tannins. Quinta do Crasto has a long history with historical references from the early 1600s.  The current owners, Leonor and Jorge Roquette, who became responsible for the estate in 1981, have remodeled winemaking facilities and refurbished vineyards in order to produce high quality wines such as this one.