The 2017 Vinhas Velhas is a Baga aged for 18 months in used French oak. It comes in at 12.1% alcohol. Silky and yet somehow oddly rich at the outset for a low-alcohol Baga, this is lovely this year. It`s fresh, flavorful and exquisitely balanced. This never feels weighty in the mouth—it`s all about mid-palate finesse—but it never feels thin, either. Look up the words "food wine" in a dictionary, and this might be an example of how that phrase is used. You can drink this all night. You won`t get tired, and you`ll miss it when it`s gone. It should also age pretty well, perhaps better than indicated, but it drinks great today for those who don`t want to wait. 90 points

Baga planted 1988 on chalky clay. Fermented in tank and aged 18 months in used 650-litre oak. Lightish garnet. Quite stalky on the nose, with the fruit subdued. Dry, finely textured tannins, with just enough red fruit to fill out the structure. A little bit severe overall but with air it opened up to more obvious fruit. Dry and tight on the finish. I think this will benefit from a bit longer in bottle. I fear this may have touch of TCA though I am surprised as the closure is Diam. 16+ points