Prats + Symington has been making dry desk wines within the Duoro Valley for many years — distinctive as a result of this area is thought largely for producing Port grapes. Whereas we’ve seen its Publish Scriptum launch on many events (the Quinta de Roriz branding is now not current), that is our first have a look at Chryseia, the vineyard’s flagship launch (and a frequent award-winner for the model). Wines are aged in bigger barrels and have Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz grapes in proportions that change yearly.
We tasted each of the newest vintages of those wines in a uncommon on-line tasting that featured the quartet of Florent Prats, Bruno Prats, Anthony Symington, and Rupert Symington.
2024 Prats + Symington Publish Scriptum Duoro DOC Evaluate
52% Touriga Nacional, 38% Touriga Franca, 7% Tinta Roriz, 3% Tinta Barroca. Surprisingly wealthy and a bit raisiny on the nostril, this units itself as much as showcase a dense consuming expertise that may function a intelligent companion to Port. Seems that’s not fairly the case. On the palate, the wine reveals a tighter grain that’s fairly youthful and nonetheless creating. Notes of anise and gingerbread are heavy in opposition to a backdrop of very tart cherry and tea leaf notes, with touches of fragrant menthol creating with time in glass. However, the 2024 is extra balanced than I’ve seen from earlier vintages, and a little bit of air time helps it open up properly. B+ / $26
2023 Prats + Symington Chryseia Douro DOC Evaluate
72% Touriga Nacional, 28% Touriga Franca. A significantly extra elegant expertise than Publish Scriptum, this wine is supple from begin to end, light-handed with each its tannins and fruit, plumped up with cherry and plum notes that eschew any sense of pruny density. Mild oak, a sprinkle of cloves, and a burst of chocolate sauce give the wine a bracing high quality — and way more complexity than I assumed doable. An hour after popping the cork, I used to be nonetheless choosing out new flavors — brambly blackberries, coconut husk, a lightweight slick of ashy blackstrap molasses — en path to a soothing and refined end. Delightfully structured with simply the correct quantity of grit, it’s wholly deserving of its status as probably the greatest desk wines the Duoro has produced thus far. A / $125
2023 Prats + Symington Chryseia Douro DOC
USD125
