There is a passion and far sightedness at Quinta do Crasto that is startling but refreshing. The Roquette family, who own the Quinta, started to modernise the vineyards in the late 1980s, building up stocks of their own ports by keeping back the best produced by the property each year. Previously, this all would have been sold to the commercial Port houses. In 1994 they were joined by Cristiano van Zeller, who had been involved in his family’s renowned Quinta do Noval. Together, they decided that the future lay not only in producing port for sale under their own name, but also in realising the exceptional potential of their property for single-estate red wines. The highly experienced David Baverstock was brought in as winemaker and they are already seeing brilliant results.

In 1997, these new reds scooped many medals and received the overall award of Red Wine of the Year in the International Wine Challenge. Quick work indeed. We are really impressed with the Douro red which is delectably full-bodied, with great depth of fruit and soft, mature tannins; a begniling mix of some 40 native grape varieties.

The 1992 Traditional Late Bottled Vintage Port shows that they are just as serious about Port itself. With rich, ripe berry and plum fruit aromas, it has an equally rich palate with a delectable sweetness and a long, finish