This marks the 17th vintage of this wine, a joint venture between the Douro-based Symington family and Bordeaux consultant Bruno Prats. Based entirely on fruit from Quintas de Roriz and Perdiz, this smooth, structured wine has many of the characteristics of Bordeaux with its new wood and elegant texture. Acidity, black fruits and tannins are developing well. Drink from 2019.

The 2012 Chryseia is a blend of 72% Touriga Nacional, the rest Touriga Franca, aged for 15 months in new, 400-liter French oak. It comes in at just 13.7% alcohol, a bit lower than, say, the recent 2007-2009 trilogy (14.3, 14.1, 14.4, respectively). That and the vintage combine to create a wine that is long on charm and freshness, but not flesh and richness. Beautifully focused and rather intense on the finish, this adds the structure that its little brother, the Post Scriptum reviewed this issue, lacks. In other respects, it is quite similar and an amazing pleasure to taste with its fresh, lifted fruit and its graceful demeanor. It may yet develop a little more and add some flesh and complexity. It is not the biggest, deepest or most powerful Chryseia, but it is one of the most charming. - Mark Squires