Rita Marques “Conceito” Branco 2016

“The 2016 Estate Branco, a field blend from old vines, was seen before, but only as a barrel sample. This is the first look in bottle. It was aged in used French oak (second, third and fourth use) for ten months. For the most part in Portugal, I tend to prefer the 2015 whites, but this seems to be one example of the 2016 doing better. Some years in the cellar will give us the final answer, of course. The oak, although modest, is too prominent just now, giving this a woody feel up front but without any vanilla nuance. This is also very young, however, in bottle less than six months when tasted this time. Underneath the oak is the precision and crispness that I expect in Conceito’s whites. The acidity gives this superb length on the finish, grabbing your palate tightly and eviscerating the wood as the wine warms and airs out. It has power to spare. The power is matched by good concentration—indeed, the wine seems fuller now than when I first saw it. This is a wine whose balance will only become better with time—don’t even think of drinking it today, when it is still mostly about its potential. If you can, come back in the summer of 2019 for better results. It is now demonstrating that it should age well for a decade or more. Indeed, it may improve steadily for several years. Right at the moment, though, it desperately needs some cellaring. Don’t drink it too warm, by the way. This is the type of wine that will show better closer to 60 degrees Fahrenheit than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Let’s be conservative as well as optimistic for the moment. It’s worth leaning up right now for the potential, but the ceiling might eventually be even higher than anticipated.” – Mark Squires, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate