Library Wines – drink now or cellar?

“How well do Alentejan table wines age in general, and more specifically, Cortes de Cima wines age?” This is a question we are constantly asked, and one which lead us to decide to participate in a recent debut ‘Library Collection’ tasting, a new initiative organized by MWsTim Atkin and Charles Metcalfe. In their own words: “The International Wine Challenge is acknowledged as the most influential blind tasting in the world. The Library Collection is a natural extension of this as it follows the same rigorous judging principles. The aim of the Library Collection is to demonstrate to consumers the merits of premium wines and their cellaring potential.”

Each year, they will taste wines that are 10 years old and 5 years old. Therefore for the 2008 tasting, we sent our Cortes de Cima Reserva 1998 and our Cortes de Cima Reserva 2003 for this new appraisal and judging. We were excited to see our wines with top ratings and showing an ageing potential of 14 years!

Cortes de Cima Reserva 1998 – 90 points – ‘Big, ripe, smoky, showing some development with ripe, sweet fruit on the palate and generous acidity, fine tannins and a long, sweet finish. Drink now through 2012.’

Cortes de Cima Reserva 2003 – 88 points – ‘Showing some maturity, black cherry and smoky character on the nose. Quite rounded with crisp acidity. Good length and intensity. Drink now through 2012.‘

During the first ever visit on behalf of Robert Parker to Cortes de Cima in August 2007, Mark Squires undertook a similar exercise, albeit even more extensive, as he included every single RESERVA we have ever launched – 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003 and 2004. In his words – “this vertical tasting showed what the winery can accomplish. These library wines may be hard to find in well stored condition, even at the winery, but they are worth noting here to show what this winery can do and how well these can age.” All wines were rated above 90 points, and with an estimated ageing potential of up to 16 years!

“The 1998 RESERVA is simply beautiful, perhaps the best wine I have tasted from this winery. If this is what they turn into, maybe it’s time to start cellaring them and stop diving into them so soon. It is nicely structured, intense, still powerful and focused. There is just a touch of cream on the texture of the finish. Flavorful and aromatic, it is particularly succulent on the finish, and it has aged very gracefully.” – The Wine Advocate.

 

Parker Points:

Cortes de Cima Reserva 1997 – 90 Points – Drink – to 2010

Cortes de Cima Reserva 1998 – 93 Points – Drink – to 2014

Cortes de Cima Reserva 2001 – 91 Points – Drink – to 2014

Cortes de Cima Reserva 2003 – 92 Points – Drink – to 2016

Cortes de Cima Reserva 2004 – 91 Points – Drink – to 2016