SF | Jet black, with the faintest of rims, then an aromas which marry spice, dark fruit and a crushed stone character, itself, inevitably of the terroir in play here. All well and good. The palate support the 'terroir' theory, its fruit powerful , dark and rich, but disinclined to overwhelm the purpose of the exercise, thankfully. A neat trio of 19s, each subtly different, each therefore betraying revelation of the specific of the Quinta in play and its ability to negotiate the vintage in question with imagination and self belief. 92
AJ | Dense, saturated and opaque black-purple, and seemingly the deepest and densest of the 2019s. Aromatically, a little less articulate than its peers. I noted a sense of brooding on wine 18, and perhaps in general the 2019s are in a brooding phase, as this wine also lacks lift and articulacy just now. Just a touch gruff and grumpy, but give it time. As with its two peers, this is another ... well, amazing hulk. Lots of power and presence, and no shortage of sweetness either. They all lack the driving fruit core which provides the astonishment and illumination in great vintage port but but but they have all that sweet shaggy hairy tannic-sugar wealth and I have a soft spot for this little herd of mammoths. Like the 2003s, they will endure very well and may yet surprise us. This is probably the sweetest of the three and maybe 18 has the best fruit, but they are all very close in quality and actually they are all very good. Note them well! Just ... don't expect too much polish and aromatic finesse.Drink Dates: 2028 - 2041. 91
RM | Deep opaque, ripe, open and quite attractive with a hint of menthol and eucalypt on the nose; similar ripe, soft fleshy fruit with a touch of rusticity on the palate, firm tannins and a supple, ripe finish, quite loose-knit and already quite accessible. Mid-term, middle distance wine.Drink Dates: 2028 - 2045. 88