Quinta da Pellada Alto 2017

The Alto Quinta da Pellada has been aged for 28 months in fourth use French oak. It is one of a trio of wines in this release that owner Álvaro Castro has labelled in the old style as an exercise in terroir. This is a field blend from the highest plot (albeit less than 10 metres - the differences are more in the soil); the Casa is the 'most exposed' corner, with a different soil type; and the '49' is the middle plot.
Its elegance makes it seem lighter, but it is much more concentrated than the first taste suggests. It simply has a brilliant mid-palate finesse. If the Pellada has echoes of Burgundy, then this is it. It is also full of flavour, tightly wound and beautifully constructed. It opens slowly and becomes increasingly impressive. You can drink it now, but it would help to give it a couple of years.