Luis Pato Vinhas Velhas Tinto 2021

Grown in chalky-clay soils on vines with an average age of forty years. In the end of August, it was made a first harvest, to produce sparkling Wine from the
same grapes, of about 60%, to increase the concentration and anticipate the maturation of the grapes left in the vine to harvest in the end of September to
produce this Vinhas Velhas.
Vinified in stainless steel vats for ten days, it was matured in used casks (650 litres of capacity) for fifteen months.

Intense, very smoky on the nose. Very well done with a beginning, middle and end. Delicate with good fruit and acidity. Good balance and apparent potential for aging. Long. More complex than most.

To be dished up with gamey meats as well as others red meat dishes. This delicious wine is dense and structured with good acidity: should age well. It will
last more than fifteen years.

“The 2021 Vinhas Velhas is all Baga, designated with the Beiras appellation and aged for 12 months in used French oak. It comes in at 13% alcohol. Aromatically earthy, this combines notable tannins with a crisp, tight finish. The mid-palate is on the elegant side. The finish is gripping, although the wine does not have a lot of mid-palate concentration. Pato was talking to me recently about a comparative tasting with some Barolos. This surely makes that point very well. It has a strong, old-style, Piedmont feel to it in its purity, acidity and tight, tannic edge. It is a food wine and nothing but.?However, of Pato&s submissions, this is, in fact, relatively dense and accessible. While it has all of those intense structural components, it is far more approachable than some of Pato&s young and powerful 2011s also submitted this issue. It may lack their verve, focus and intensity. Still, you can actually think about diving into this now, noting that it needs food and air. If you&re looking for sweet, easy, fat and rich, look elsewhere. It is a lot of wine for the price if you value structure and complexity. The 2021 vintage in most of Portugal was exceptional, producing concentrated and well-structured wines. At Luis Pato&s winery, it produced no-holds-barred powerhouses. Luis Pato simply rocked this Tinto vintage, but be patient. These will not be easy wines. His 2021s lean to structure at the moment – tannin, acidity, pure power, Baga in full flight. They also have fine concentration, though. Pato said to me: "They are growing in character every 6 months...and it is a vintage with a long distance showing....a typical vintage to age." It is certainly a good vintage in which to illustrate Pato&s point that there are some resemblances to Barolo here. I would add, that&s more along the lines of old-style Barolo despite some of the oak treatment here. The wines have nuances at times of forest floor and amber. Often earthy and always intense, these are wines that require you to have a cellar, particularly at the upper levels. Don&t expect modern, soft and sweet, especially in 2021. Finally, note that appellations occasionally shift here. It can confuse the automated computer system at times. We will try to keep that straight. I&ve noted it in the notes as well. All of Pato&s top wines, he says, were Bairrada DOC in 2021.”?- MS, Wine Advocate