2000 Ramos Pinto, Vintage Port 1x75cl

Mark Squires

The 2000 Duas Quintas is part of our vertical. It is a blend of Touriga Nacional (20%), Touriga Francesa (40%) and Tinta Roriz (40%). About half of the juice was aged in used Portuguese oak for six months, the rest in stainless steel. Here's another "regular" Tinto that I had not seen before. It is aging brilliantly. A smoother, more refined version of the 1994 in this vertical, this is on the cusp, showing clear notes of maturity, but not yet being all about the maturity. There is still a sweet tinge of fruit on the end. It is also rich, refined and delicious. Still vibrant, it is a bit tight at times, but the tannins are perhaps better balanced here than on the 1994. It seems generally harmonious, finishing with an elegant, but gripping presentation. It is very fine and surprisingly interesting--another eye-opener in this vertical and a fine competitor for "best of" the regular Tintos. It is not quite as intense as the 1994, but it is far more interesting than the younger ones. It is in a perfect place just now. This issue contains a yin and yang vertical from Ramos Pinto, with a "regular" Duas Quintas and the Reserva counterpart. Note that the labeling of the "regular" Tinto has changed over the years (and in different markets). Depending on where and when tasted, it may look more like the Portugal version in the database (Duas Quintas) or Adriano DQ. In 2012 and going forward, they should all be just Duas Quintas here as well. All of these actually had the traditional Portuguese labeling (just Duas Quintas).