Mission fig, star anise, blueberry extract. Dried blackberry, freshly-paved asphalt, crushed black currant. An immensely deep and dense core of black licorice, dark cherry, and Medjool date broods with rich yet surprisingly lively concentration as notes of tobacco, cedar, and tar impart an intriguing savory edge. Hints of fennel, tarragon, and tree bark gradually reveal captivating herbal components that are gently offset by dark floral tones of iris, violet, and lavender. Impressions of granite and stoney soil expose suggestions of arid and mountainous terroir that shine brightly throughout the inky and muscular display. Notably bold, powerful, and structured on the palate with serious intensity and weight; exhibiting a delicious range of uniquely ripe port-like flavors within a presentation that is dry to the taste and nicely balanced. Full bodied and bursting with elevated tannin and bright acidity. This 2015 Quinta do Ataíde "Vinha do Arco" Touriga Nacional by Symington Family Estates is a robust and rugged red from Portugal's Douro.

Long famous for the world-class fortified Port wines it produces, the Douro region of Portugal has finally begun gaining recognition for the deliciously bold and fruit-driven table wines it also shapes. This bottling, crafted by Symington Family Estates using Touriga Nacional grown at their Quinta do Ataíde estate vineyard in the Douro Superior, is an outstanding example of the combination of power, depth, and complexity that Portuguese dry table wines can express. This boisterously booms with a plethora of rich dark fruits accented by pleasantly bitter herbs, deep floral tones, and captivatingly rugged earthiness. While still relatively youthful in character this shows significant potential for further development in bottle, although it is drinking absolutely splendidly today. Excellent.