The 2009 RESERVA “DUAS QUINTAS” has benefited from another year in the bottle since my first look. It is mostly a Touriga Nacional (50%) and Touriga Franca (40%) blend, with 10% Tinta Barroca added. Far more integrated now, it is ripe, with sweet fruit, the sexy notes typical of this 2009 vintage. It retains good acidity, though. If it is not quite as focused as vintages like the 2004, its sexy demeanor will make it lots of friends. It proved it has some structure and focus as well. It seems to be developing nicely. Drink 2014-2024. There are reports from two vertical tastings here, Duas Quintas and the unusual Reserva Especials. These were poured at the winery in Douro. Let’s take the Reserva Especials first. While some modern iterations, like the ‘04 and ‘07, were simply normal if quite ageworthy table wines, the others were quite deliberately Port in disguise, that is, dry table wines intended to be like what Winemaker and Managing Director Joao Nicolau de Almeida called old style (pre-1820) Port. The alcohol is not Port-like and they are dry, but they sure smelled like Port. They seemed to be a cross between a tawny and a table wine. Joao advised drinking those made in that style as an aperitif. That makes them rather unusual beasts and hard to evaluate. For those that show that way, you’ll like ‘em or not and not everyone will agree. I thought they were as special as their name implied and simply fascinating. If later releases like the ‘04 and ‘07 seemed to abandon that Port-y style, the ‘08 (as yet unreleased and no note published as yet) seemed again to smell more like the earlier Port-like versions. It will be interesting to see what it will be like when it finally arrives on our shores. Regarding the Duas Quintas Reservas, Joao also kindly poured some older ones for me. This is one of Douro’s iconic brands, inexpensive and traditional table wines that generally age beautifully. From both verticals, all of the older vintages are, of course, library wines that may not be readily available. Importer: Maison Marques & Domaines USA, Inc., Oakland, Ca.; tel: (510) 286-2000.