The 2015 Alicante Bouschet Júlio B. Bastos was aged for 14 months in new French oak (plus 18 months in cement deposits and then held back 14 months in bottle before release—all of which no doubt contributes to the price on this late-release and small-production wine). It comes in at just 13.7% alcohol. When first seen, this showed well, but let's check in. Like many now in Portugal, Dona Maria seems to be making some efforts to tame this grape, which is often high in alcohol and likely to produce powerful, dense wines. The problem with some of these wines is that they don't always seem very Alicante-like. Dona Maria should be pretty good at this considering the winery's long association with this grape. This has many virtues, the first being that it tries to maintain some elegance. It emphasizes the expression of fruit, but it is always fresh and enticing to drink. The tannins are still there, but they're reasonably ripe and don't get in the way too much. They fall off fairly fast as it sits in the glass. Give it an hour and it's good to go. Yet it was far better the next day, so don't think this is overly soft. This is not at peak, and another year in the bottle has not resolved all issues. The concentration of flavor, assuming you like Alicante, is probably the best feature here, but sometimes it was even a bit too intense and a little perfumed as well. It showed much better the next day when everything came into gorgeous balance. This textured Alicante ultimately needs a little aging and nuance. It has proven that it will reward aging too. While some of the flavor on the finish is also oak derived, that is not much of an issue at this point and that will continue to improve. Overall, the lighter touch combined with the intensity of flavor and balance makes this potentially even more special in a few years. The debate now is only "how special?" The score reflects some optimism on continued improvement, but it's worth leaning up not down this time. It has proven its case to a considerable extent.
96 points, Mark Squires, Wine Advocate (Oct 2021)
Fully mature, its rich tannins offer a fine structural element for the powerful, dark black fruits. This is a serious wine that shows a strong sense of minerality, ripe smokiness and a tarry, perfumed aftertaste. Here is an impressive wine, ready to drink now.
94 points, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (Jul 2021)
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