Poças Júnior

In 1918, a few months before the Armistice, Manoel Domingues Poças Júnior, who had been born in the heart of the Port Wine hustle and bustle, decided to establish his own company. Manoel Poças was 30 years old and he had some experience in this business. With his uncle, he created a company to sell grape spirits to large Port Wine shippers. Soon afterwards he opened a head office in Vila Nova de Gaia, where they remain to this day. Today, with three quintas in the best winemaking areas of the Douro Demarcated Region, Poças ensures its total control over the quality of its wines and the family is more involved than ever before.

Very deep ruby in colour. There is superlative aromatic intensity, with a predominance of bramble, currant and raspberry jam on the bouquet. The palate is elegant and silky, with great fruity intensity, supported by fresh and firm tannins. The concentration of fruit from the old vines, around 60 years old, is very evident, combining the elegance of Touriga Nacional and the unique structure of Touriga Franca. The finish is intense yet floral, a perfect combination of dried flowers, ripe fruit intensity and a dash of cocoa.

Ideal as a dessert or convivial wine, superb with high quality cheeses like Stilton and Roquefort, and also dark chocolate. Serve at 18ºC/64ºF. Prior decanting and careful serving are recommended.

Controlled fermentation with extended maceration, stopped by grape brandy addition. Matured in wooden vats, strictly controlled with successive tasting, until the approval by the IVDP

Deep purple, with an expressive, peppery, floral (dried rose) nose and palate, assertive tannins and fresh acidity to the attack, becoming creamier, with velvety, milk chocolate-edged red and black fruits – mulberry, raspberry, black berry – going through. Sumptuous, but with good tannin underpinning, freshness and persistence. Finishes long, fine, well-focused. Lovely intensity. On day two, violets bring heady lift to nose and palate and the tannins seem better integrated, making for a long, seamless palate – velvety, without detracting at all from its lovely vein of acidity or subtle mineral nuances. Impressively consistent over four days, this lifted, long, layered Vintage Port beautifully reflects the winning qualities I am seeing in 2018 Vintage Port – fruit intensity and sweetness with freshness. The supporting fine but focused chassis of spicy (liquorice) tannins suggests it will age well into the mid-term. Perhaps longer. Sarah Ahmed, The Wine Detective 21st September 2020