Wine & Soul Pintas Vintage Port 2020

2020 Pintas Vintage Port
Wine & Soul
Douro Valley, Portugal

94-96 pts Wine Advocate
The 2020 Pintas Vintage Port is a field blend from more than 40 different grapes from very old vines (around 90 years). It comes in with 110 grams of residual sugar and will be bottled in July 2021 after 19 months in old chestnut casks. It was the final blend and out of cask when I tasted it. In classic flavors, this is sensationally delicious, but there is also a backbone, though perhaps less fierce than normal. The winery is never shy in tannins, but right now this has the fruit in charge. I expect this to close down. When it is released, try keeping your hands off it, but if you dive in, you probably should do it early. Still, this is not quite as hard edged as the 2019, which I'd rate a little higher for what seems to be its formidable structure. This may have sexier fruit.

- Made from a field blend of over 30 different indigenous grape varieties.
- All grapes were carefully selected and foot trodden in lagares for 5 days until brandy was added to stop the fermentation. THE best and most traditional way to make Port.
- The fortified wine is then aged in an old Port Tonel for 19 months, after which the wine is bottled
- One of the top wines in all of Portugal, a complexity beast!
- One of my all-time favorite wines and vineyards in all of the world.
- A classic representation of Douro Valley terroir
- Vines 87+ years-old
- Steep schist hard rock terraces
- Will age for 15+ years easy (2029), or drink now with a decant, at least 1 hour
- One of my favorite PORTS, I buy this every vintage it is released