This attractive label depicting a hunting scene caught my eye on the shelf at Apolónia and the text “Vinhas Improváveis” got my attention.
It turns out that this wine, first made in 2014, was deemed improbable because it was made from the first harvest of new vines and the quality, apparently, was surprisingly high.
The name stuck and now the 2018 (the fifth vintage) is on the market. This is a classic Douro red of considerable finesse and quality for the price (€19.95), made from Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz and aged for 18 months in French oak.
On the nose, black forest fruits mingle with floral notes and a hint of vanilla from well-integrated oak. Full bodied in the mouth yet fresh with subtle tannins and a nice dry finish.
