The 2012 Vinha do Rio is an old vines (85 years) field blend aged for 21 months in new French oak. It comes in at 15% alcohol. Seeming like quite a mouthful on opening at this point, it has a lot going on. It is bursting with flavor, a certain, ripe chocolaty nuance, and the finish lingers rather respectably. It pulls its parts together well, including the oak. It seems more and more exceptional as it airs out. It was not quite as dramatic the next day, however, as it flattened out a bit and was no longer quite as interesting. It still showed rather powerful tannins that should lend it support as it ages. This is built to be ageworthy and as 2012s go, it is quite the blockbuster. It is different – ripe, showier, more intensely flavorful – than its high-level siblings this issue, but it is not necessarily so dramatically better for that, as opposed to different. Last time around, in 2011, I thought this was the most Port-like of Van Zeller's offerings. That is probably true this year as well, but in this rather restrained 2012 vintage, the Vinha do Rio does seem better balanced. This will need a few years to settle down. It does have upside potential in the cellar, but also some questions to answer. I'm convinced enough to lean up a bit, but it will be interesting to revisit it in a few years. There were merely 2,696 bottles, plus some large format bottles, which may affect that hefty price point a bit.
(WA 2nd Jan 2015)
