Muros Antigos Loureiro 2017

The 2017 Loureiro Muros Antigos Escolha comes in at 12% alcohol. Showing fine transparency, this is fresh and focused, perhaps even more so than its Pássaros Loureiro sibling, beating that wine at its own game. When first opened and they were both a bit too cold, I preferred the Pássaros Loureiro, but with air and warmth this seemed much more expressive, showing more concentrated fruit. (While they both come from the Lima subregion, ground zero for Loureiro, the Pássaros is a right-bank parcel on the slopes, while the vineyard for Muros is a left-bank parcel in the valley.) This is textured and tense on the finish. Indeed, they are both intense with good acidity. As you let it warm and then let it sit on the palate, it seems relatively rich and deep this year. (Don't drink it too cold. Mid-50 degrees Fahrenheit is good.) There also are some slight hints of green on the nose and finish as it warms, despite how big it seemed (relatively speaking—Loureiro is never big) on opening, but only slight hints. It's another terrific bargain. There were 100,000 bottles produced. - Mark Squires.