92+ Mark Squires - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2018 Curtimenta is all Alvarinho, aged for nine months in used, light-toast French oak. It comes in at 12.8% alcohol, 1.5 grams of residual sugar and 6.5 of total acidity. This is all sourced from Quinta da Torre. Always one of my favorites of Mendes's oak-aged Alvarinhos, this shows off some power and its fine fruit. Both this year seem to be working in very good harmony. It's fresh and lively, but its beautiful balance makes it almost understated this year. As I've been saying with some of the other oak-aged Alvarinhos this issue, this is meant to be paired with food. It will show its best that way, as this isn't your typical Vinho Verde porch-sipper. All that said, the key question at this level is whether it can improve more and show something more complex as it ages. It certainly has the chance to do so. Drinking Range 2021 to 2035