Quinta do Vale Meão Douro Meandro DOC 2016

The 2016 Meandro do Vale Meão is a blend of 30% Touriga Franca, 40% Touriga Nacional, 20% Tinta Roriz and various others, all aged for 14 months in used French oak. It comes in at 14% alcohol. Take a bottling that always performs well for a modest price, add a vintage that produced a lot of ripe fruit and you might get one of the finest Meandros ever made. Not quite bottled when seen (but the final blend), this shows exceptional concentration for the level, vivid fruit, and surprising freshness. The tannins are moderate but provide good support for the fruit. Everything is lifted too—this is in no way a fruit bomb.