Herdade do Peso, Alentejo DOC Tinto (Portugal) “Revelado” 2021 ($26, Evaton)

I can’t quite get to “revelation” as an experience ignited by this wine, though I did revel in it — and ever more so after it was provided time to “breathe” and open. The blend is comprised of Alicante Bouschet (64%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%),and Touriga Nacional (16%), which looks like a recipe for a bruiser of a wine, yet it actually shows medium-plus in body. Although it is deeply flavored and very lasting in flavor through the finish with plenty of tannin for structure and aging, it is also quite well-mannered, with a softness and absence of astringency that is as surprising in relation to the power shown in its mid-palate as it is when judged against the stats on the blend. Dark toned fruit notes recall blackberries and blackcurrants but also dark cherries, but there is freshness here that offers yet another surprise. Delicious — and a deal.
93 Michael Franz