Parcela Única Alvarinho 2017

The 2017 Parcela Única is an Alvarinho aged for nine months in new French oak (light toast). It comes in at 13% alcohol, with less than two grams of residual sugar and 6.5 grams per liter of total acidity. Like Curtimenta this year, this shows off its wood initially, but it comes around very well, particularly the next day. Both can be hard to read when young but for different reasons—the power of Curtimenta and the wood on this. The more aggressive wood treatment tends to make this the harder to read of the two, but it looks very fine. It is notably creamier, though. Also ripe and full-bodied, it demonstrates that its fruit can and will rise above the wood. In fact, it pulls in the wood rapidly as it airs and warms. Then, it lingers beautifully on the finish, dry, serious and intriguing. As it airs out and warms the next day, it becomes remarkably refined, showing off finesse I did not think it had. Suddenly, it seemed impeccably balanced and more sophisticated. Taste this blind and your first thought will not be "Vinho Verde." Still another day later, it was in top form, but I'd say I liked it best at about 24 hours open.