2015 Ramos Duas Quintas Reserve Douro

(90 Points) The 2015 Duas Quintas is a blend of 39% Touriga Nacional and 34% Touriga Franca, with the rest a field blend of miscellaneous others typical of the region, like Tinta Roriz and Tinta Amarela. About half the juice was aged in wood (20% in well-used French barriques, 30% in tonels) for 13 months. It comes in at 14% alcohol. This is a wonderful and classic regular 2015 tinto. As the pattern goes, this level generally has only modest concentration compared to the Reserva or years like 2011, but it has a wonderfully fresh feel that lifts intensely flavorful fruit. So, too, here—and in a year like this, you can double down on the freshness and flavor. Delicious and fruit forward yet beautifully supported by its acidity, this is a wine that is pretty hard to resist just now. It may not have grandeur, but it is worth leaning up on in its exuberant youth. It's not just a fruit bomb, by the way. It also has the structure to age a bit. They traditionally do. In this year, though, the gorgeous fruit and fresh feel may make you dive in pretty fast. This is a super bargain in a lighter-styled, fresh red, what I call a "summer red" these days. Don't drink it too warm.

Robert Parkes Wine Advocate