Claudia’s Reserve Red

The 2019 Claudia’s Reserve is mostly a blend of Tinta Roriz (46%) and Touriga Franca 43%) with Touriga Nacional nd Tinta Amarela for the rest, aged for 13 months in 25% new French oak. It comes in at 15% alcohol. This handles its alcohol well, seeming rather elegant in the mid-palate while at the same time concentrated in fruit essence. Relatively powerful without being too astringent, this ripe Reserva certainly emphasizes fruit, but it has supportingstructure too. This is not for the shy, but it seems to hold its balance. Certainly, it is a lot of wine for the price. We’ll see how it ages and develops, but for the moment, it is entitled to some props for the fine value that it is.

The 2018 Claudia’s Reserve is mostly a 49/35 blend of Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca, plus small amounts of others, mostly Touriga Nacional, for the rest. It was all aged for 10 months in used French oak. It comes in at 14.1% alcohol. Of the three value-priced reds from Quevedo this report, this is the only one with some tannic pop and firmness on the finish. For a mere $2 more over the Oscar’s Organic, it would be my pick. Finishing with precision and good fruit, this is also the only one of the value-priced wines with some chance to improve and develop notably. I’m not completely convinced it will, but it certainly has a shot. Given the price point, it’s a reasonable value even if this is what you get. In that regard, the tannins are real but still fairly ripe, so you can approach this now. June 2021.