Vinhas Improváveis Grande Reserva 2020 – 100-Year-Old Vines – Limited 2,091 Bottles – Douro DOC – Wooden Case

A rare and ambitious expression of the Douro, Vinhas Improváveis Grande Reserva 2020 represents the inaugural Grande Reserva release from winemaker Raul Riba D’Ave, produced from an extraordinary old vineyard in the Cima Corgo. The wine originates from a vineyard approximately 100 years old, planted with a traditional field blend of indigenous Douro grape varieties that are no longer individually identifiable. Yields are exceptionally low — in some cases not even one bunch per vine — producing naturally concentrated fruit of remarkable intensity. The grapes were harvested by hand, carefully selected and destemmed before temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel. The wine was subsequently matured for an impressive 36 months in 225-litre French oak barrels, 75% of them new, giving the finished wine considerable structure, depth and ageing potential. Production is exceptionally small. The 2020 Grande Reserva was bottled on 13 June 2024, with only 2,091 bottles of 75cl produced, making this a genuinely limited Douro release. Deep ruby and almost opaque in appearance, it delivers an intense bouquet of ripe black cherry, black plum and blackberry, layered with vanilla and hazelnut-chocolate nuances from its prolonged French-oak maturation. On the palate it is powerful and full-bodied yet impressively balanced, combining succulent dark fruit with silky tannins, refreshing acidity and an exceptionally long, velvety finish. Built for long-term cellaring, its recommended drinking window extends from 2025 to 2050.