The 2014 Reserva Terra A Terra is an equal blend of Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca plus 20% Sousão, aged 18 months in used French barriques. It comes in at 13.3% alcohol. I was surprised at how good this second wine seemed in this tough vintage. The answer, said co-winemaker Jorge Alves, was simple: they declassified the upper level. It wound up here. Fruit forward, concentrated and showing ripe tannins, this is a pleasure to drink. It has some room to grow too. If it has a flaw, typical of a 2014, the fruit is not as ripe and as vivid as Douro typically produces. It still seems sleek and restrained rather than dull. The rest is impressive. It's a super value.
