2004 P&S Chryseia Douro Red

I tasted this wine initially when I got home from a trip to Portugal last year. It was a present from my colleague and new friend Rui Novais, who hosted me at the U of Porto where I gave a couple lectures. I took a couple of days to tour the Douro valley where I tasted both Port and the amazing new red wine blends that the Portuguese are now producing. He gave me a bottle of this wine after he heard me raving about the excellence of many wines I'd tasted in Portugal. Their quality came as a surprise to me as I hadn't heard much about their wines aside from Port. The varieties are generally unique to Portugal, including Touriga Nacionale. Apparently there was little trade between Spain and Portugal for a long time, so the latter's viticulture grew up without much influence from the rest of Europe (unlike Spain where the main varietals are pretty similar to France's and Italy's albeit with different names, e.g. Monastrell=Mourvedre, garnacha=grenache). the P stands for Prats (of Cos D'estournel) and S is Symington, the old English family that owns some of the famous Port houses (Graham's, Warre's, Dow's).

When I tasted it the first time this is what I wrote Rui: It was somewhere between magnificent and sublime. Certainly one of the best red wines I've had in the past few years: complex, perfectly balanced, and silky on the palate with intriguing spicy and berry aromas.

So when I saw the wine listed for $30 at K&L, I ordered a case (normal price is around $65). I've since had three bottles. None has been as fantastic as the first; I wonder if shipping damaged it a bit. Or perhaps it's needed time to settle after shipment from CA. But all bottles have been

quite excellent 90+ points. The berry in question seems to me increasingly blueberry. The wines have lots

of sediment throughout, so maybe I should try filtering? There's nice vanilla almost piecrust on top of the

berry, like a desert--presumably from toasty oak. The finish is long and smooth and I'm moved to post this because the latest bottle improved day by day, so by 3rd day the acid was calmed down a bit and the fruit really stood out nicely. The wine is vaguely reminiscent of a grenache but distinctive--no strawberry component, more dark fruit, maybe dark plum. I would think it will be drinking well for another 4-5 years and maybe more given how well it did after opening--I guess that's testament to the tannins being so soft and well integrated.

Parker:

The 2004 Chryseia seems brighter and more pointed than its 2003 counterpart, not quite as sweet, a little earthier. There are some similarities, such as refined tannins, lovely and persistent flavors and a suave, modern feel. The 2003 is far more attractive at the moment, and seems riper and sweeter, but the 2004 will likely overtake it. To me, it adds some of the complexity missing from the 2003, even if it is slightly less seductive. Ultimately, it may come down to your style preferences. I hope to retaste them side-by-side over the years. Both wines drank very well the next day and opened up beautifully, proving that they are not just about tasty fruit. This held easily for both tasting purposes and longer, despite having been open for a day, a good sign. This is primarily Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, with Tinta Roriz and Tinta Cao blended in, raised in new French oak. Proportions of each varietal used are expected to vary from year-to-year. There were 3,000 cases produced. Fruit is sourced from various Quintas of note, including Perdiz and Bomfim. Drink 2008-2016.