This is one of the new dry red wines from Dirk Niepoort. It is made up of a blend of principally Tinto Roriz and Touriga Franca, with some other varieties included in small quantities. The vines range in age from seventy to one hundred years of age and grow at an elevation of two hundred to four hundred and fifty meters above sea level. The grapes are foottrodden as whole clusters and then fermented in French casks, with the wine’s elevage consisting of fourteen months in these barrels. The 2017 Charme comes in at 13.5 percent octane and offers up a balanced and nicely new oaky nose of black cherries, cigar smoke, a bit of chocolate, black tea and a stylish base of smoky new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and impressively light on its feet, with good, tangy acids, fine focus and grip and a long, complex and moderately tannic finish. The fairly modern nose here is still quite primary, but the wine is showing more complexity and soil signature already on the palate and I have little doubt that the bouquet will catch up in due course. This is good juice in the making. 92 points