I have had this specific Douro white wine early and often. I will share 3 somewhat recent TNs below. However, I’ve opened another 8 bottles of this in the past 12 days and can’t keep my hands off 'em. With a tasting group here on Monday night, I opened up two and everyone loved this juice. I believe it should now be at retail and it won’t be expensive either (I am guessing in the $12-16 range). I first had it while at the Quinta during this year’s harvest in the Douro, although I literally watched this being made two years ago. This is a case, where points don’t do the wine justice. Enjoy!!!
2007 ~ Quinta do Crasto ~ Douro DOC White Wine – 35% Gouveio, 35% Cercial, 15% Roupeiro and 15% Rabigato. We watched this wine going into the stainless steel fermenting tanks, (and tasted a very young just crushed sample) during the harvest of 2007. I first tried the finished product, while visiting Crasto on 10/1/08 during the harvest. The inaugural rendition was an “experiment” in 2004, produced from a cuvée of 20 grapes, with 1,000 bottles produced that were never released. In fact, this 2007 will be the first commercial release. Shared with my wife’s family in Michigan for a pre-Christmas dinner, they really enjoyed it. I detected some green notes, not quite vegetal but certainly grassy but rather pleasant, along with dried apricot, lime and green apple. The palate was in the pear/apple range, very tart and with well defined acidity. It paired well with our dinner of an assortment of Pierogi. Considering the price, I believe this is going to be a huge seller for Crasto and I hope they have plenty in the pipeline. 88+ points ~ 12/23/08
2007 ~ Quinta do Crasto ~ Douro DOC White Wine – I am pretty enthused about this wine even though it does not get a big score, it is a very well crafted and delicious food wine but is good enough to sip on a summer day too. It is the first white commercially released by Quinta do Crasto. My wife loves the steely nature of this and she suggests I pair it with lobster, shrimp or scallops; and I think it would be a GREAT wine to have with any of them, if prepared simply. The nose is brimming with grapefruit, lime and pear notes along with lots of minerals. The acidity provides excellent cut and a fine counterpoint to the tart citrus fruit flavor. Lip smacking white peach and tart apple flavours prevail and this will be offered at a great price once released, later in January. The fine texture is an added plus too. Drink 2009-2014. 87+ points ~ 12/28/08
2007 ~ Quinta do Crasto ~ Douro DOC White Wine – I can’t keep my hands off this wine and it was our 3rd bottle enjoyed in the past two weeks. Accented by aromas of crab apple, pear and a streak of herbaceousness accented by a vegetal-grassy nuance. This drinks like a cross between a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and an Alsatian Riesling. Medium-bodied with lively citrus-based acidity, tangy lime and tart granny smith apple flavors. Simple, tasty, crisp and fresh, this will pair really well with most crustaceans as well as poultry and seafood dishes. An excellent QPR white wine from the folks at Crasto. Drink 2009-2014. 89+ points ~ 12/31/08
Yeah, having also seen this being made back in '07 and trying it over 1/2 a dozen times in the past 6 months, it is one of the better QPR Douro white wines out there and worth picking up. I haven’t seen it show up at retail in my area yet, but could be wrong about that. For those of you not familiar with Crasto, they are know as one of the best houses for making dry wines in the Douro. Their top dry wines are legendary in Portugal and akin to California’s Screaming Eagle. This is their first commercially released white, and although I’ve had some of their non-released vintages prior to this, the '07 is the best.
There was a few of us who are very familiar with all of Crasto’s wines talking about this house a couple weeks ago and we all stated how good even their basic inexpensive dry wines are. The basic Douro red called “Crasto” is an excellant bottle of juice for less than $16. A house that I have had no problem buying from year in and year out.
Roy, thanks for posting this. I am trying to broaden my wine experience and this is one to try. I have never even hear of these grapes (35% Gouveio, 35% Cercial, 15% Roupeiro and 15% Rabigato. ), let alone tried a wine made from them! Ps, I love the “crasto” - amazing wine and even better when price is taken into account
Zachary, lucky you are in Boston which as a city has a really good selection of Portuguese dry wines and if you’re really brave Arguardente. Although most of the dry wines I saw in stores when I was there last year were from the southern regions, not the Douro. But even those offer some amazing QPR daily drinkers. Many are under $10-12 and easily can equal or beat $20 wines from elsewhere. In these tough economic times thats a huge a plus.
I know But i was totally impressed at how much stuff from Portugal was in stores There was over 1/2 a dozen types of Arguardente alone, let alone various Dao, Douro, and wines from other areas of Portugal.
Actually, around 2 years ago, I was hunting down the best (non-auction) deal I could get for reliable '83 and '86 Châteaux Margaux, both of which I found in a Boston, Ma shop.
Fortunately, those of you in MA are lucky because there seems to be a decent number of importers of Portuguese wine based there, due to some of the large Portuguese communities like New Bedford and others that support the wine from their motherland. I realize shipping has always been an issue there and with current legislative powers at work, it is not easy there.
The `07 Crasto white has just arrived in Alberta so I look forward to seeing how it shapes up alongside the CARM white. My local store downtown has most of the usual Crasto red suspects. Yum.
Bob,
Hope you like it and I’m curious to hear your review of it when you get a chance.
As I mentioned earlier, Quinta do Crasto makes some great juice across the pricing spectrum. From the $12 “Crasto” to the $120 “Vinha da Ponte”…all are worth buying.
BTW, When I visited the Quinta in June, I tasted some of the 2007 and 2008 dry wines that were bottled just days before. I can say there is some great juice to be released coming up. The basic 2008 Crasto was a definite step up from prior vintages, which as I mentioned already are a very good QPR Douro red wine. But this new vintage the grapes came all from their newer vineyard up river, near Spain, and the results are noticeably better.
I can’t wait to get back there to visit in 2 weeks and try them all again.
Jeez-after reading this, while strolling in my West LA shop today after lunch I wuz accosted by the basic red 2007 (Quinta do Crasto Tinto Douro) and was held at gunpoint by the bottle to help ensure its escape from the store (after paying $14).
Very nice dry red wine, distinctive in a general sense, round, pure finish, fruity and not harsh at all; back label states a bunch of varietals I’d never heard of.
A nice alternative to the $10 Escavio Tempranillo we have been consuming during the week.
Peter,
Roy is at his annual Washington Fair duties this month, then he heads straight for Portugal for his Harvest Trip, where I will meet up with him. So he isn’t online much at all this month. But I assume it’s safe for me to say he probably won’t be. Although some friends of mine (and his) will be there, as they live in the Boston area. It should be a nice tasting and one not to miss.
Stu,
Glad you liked this one. It is a great value at the price point, as I’ve already mentioned. I can say if you liked this one, just wait till the 2008 one comes out later this year or early next year. The price is remaining the same and the quality has gone up even higher than it already is. Easily a no-brainer case buy for me when it comes out.
![[haha.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/a/ade954e071ca7f5fbd32e4687ab861081566d9ee.gif "laughat"){kind=small}
But i was totally impressed at how much stuff from Portugal was in stores ![[shock.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0b1dcf699ec319f43254f92e3f145786dcd93904.gif "shock"){kind=small}
There was over 1/2 a dozen types of Arguardente alone, let alone various Dao, Douro, and wines from other areas of Portugal.