The 2011 CV is the latest iteration of Cristiano van Zeller’s small production, old vines (85 years) field blend. It was 50-50 fermented in tank and oak and then aged for 21 months in a mixture of new (65%) and one and two year old (35%) French oak barriques. It is listed at 15.5% alcohol. It has surprisingly well integrated tannins this year – that is relatively speaking – together with a rather graceful mid-palate. It still finishes with a somewhat astringent pop. The oak is the biggest bugaboo. It is too obvious at the moment. Yet, it has a sunny feel to it, too. The main concern will be the alcohol level, but this seemed to handle it perfectly on Day 1 and quite well on Day 2. It will be something to watch, but so far, so good. The mid-palate is beautifully constructed, which is a theme in this year’s releases and the vintage in general, while the wine still shows admirable concentration. Thick and concentrated don’t have to be the same thing. This has some elegance. This really needs a couple of years – at least – to settle down, but it seems to be a big time wine in the vintage, finely crafted for all of its size. The Vale d. Maria probably offers more subtlety, but this is no clumsy fool. There were just 6,400 bottles produced, together with some large format bottles. Drink 2016-2031.
Many of the big reds were just bottled at the end of June or July, 2013, then seen in early Fall in the USA, so take it as a given that they are unevolved and need some time to show their stuff. Most of them should be in retail circulation in the USA in early 2014, shortly after this article appears. They tend to be in small supply. The theme here is many labels and brands, but not much quantity for each one. So, act quickly when they get here if you’re interested. If they have a flaw, it is primarily that they are as a group on the pricey side. You and your wallet will have to deal with that part. This issue features three small-production specialty wines illustrating different parts of the Quinta’s terroir. Since two of the three are relatively new, I asked van Zeller what he was attempting to demonstrate. I got a very long answer – but an interesting and worthwhile one. So, I’ll let him tell it, with some necessary condensation for space. “We have very many factors that influence each part and each parcel of vineyards in the Douro: altitude, sun exposure, steepness of the soil, rockiness of the soil, density of vines, etc., all multiplied (especially in the vineyards planted before 1975) by an extraordinary different number of grape varieties. ? Vinha da Francisca and Vinha do Rio (are) specific parcels that show a very special character. In reality CV was the first wine we produced under this theory. It is the only vineyard we have facing north (at the time I had not ? fully developed (the idea) to call it Quinta Vale D. Maria Vinha do something - CV is a great name anyway). ? In the case of Vinha da Francisca and Vinha do Rio I wanted to show two different and somehow extreme parts of our terroirs (CV being already established on its own): (a) - the younger vines of the quinta , showing from now on, not only the development of the age of these vines, vintage after vintage, but being also the symbol of the future; (b) - the oldest vines of the quinta , showing the maturity and "wisdom" (have I any?) of the family and Vale D. Maria?the full tradition of the field blends in the Douro.” While Francisca has never been part of the regular Vale d. Maria blend, note that the Rio parcel has been traditionally. When I asked how the separate blending would affect the flagship Estate wine, Vale d. Maria Tinto, van Zeller said: “A part of Vinha do Rio will always be part of Quinta Vale D. Maria Douro Red?Rio has a potential to produce some 2.000 to 3.000 bottles but we have only been bottling as Rio between 900 and 1.900 bottles.”
(WA 30th Dec 2013)
