Folgasão

The 2022 Folgasão was aged for five months in used Hungarian oak and comes in at 12.3% alcohol. This is a new offering, says Oscar Quevedo; it was “added to our Q.Lab range. Folgasão, a.k.a. Terrantez, is slowly disappearing from the Douro vineyards. I think this is happening because of [how easily] it hosts powdery mildew fungus and because, at the winery during the fermentation, this variety develops a reductive character.” His father planted 2.5 hectares in 2016, his last plantings. This is not a crisp and energetic wine, but it has reasonable solidity and a smooth texture. As an oaked wine, of course, it doesn’t quite qualify as a fresh white, but it still mostly seems to play in that ballpark, just not very assertively. The flavors are muted and a little different, with some dried melon and dried pear. Ultimately, this is a nice and understated white for the summer, but it just doesn’t have the structure to take the next step. It is certainly pleasing at the moment.