This old vines (a mixture of 30-80 years) Branco is a blend of Viosinho, Rabigato, Codega and Gouveio from various vineyard sources. It is revisited this issue for a quick warm weather checkup – since I imagine that a lot of folks who bought it last year will be digging in just now. It is quite charming, largely rewarding what I originally saw in it. The one thing the passage of a little time has done, though, is allow it to settle down and come into more harmony. On release, it was tightly wound and rather piercing. Sometimes, it is easy to be overly impressed by that demeanor, which masks how little is going on underneath. Just as with reds, once past the big bursts of power, it has to be more than insipid when it finally settles down, and that is projection rather than certainty. This is not, of course, vin de garde, but here it has worked out as planned. Gentler now, but still pure, fresh and lively, it finishes with nice fruit flavor, supported by the crispness and tinged with just a hint of lemon early on. The only concern here is longevity, but I will say that the second glass on Day 1 was better than the first, and I liked it as well if not better on Day 2. It helps not to drink it too cold, a point always worth emphasizing with whites that have some character and a finish. It should be great this summer. Keep it well stored and worry about the future when it gets here.
(WA 28th Jun 2013)
