Touriga Nacional (70%), Touriga Franca (30%)
75cl * 14.5% ABV * Douro, Portugal
'Chryseia' - Greek for 'of gold' - was born of the union between Portugal's renowned Symington family, and the legendary Bordeaux winemaker Bruno Prats, in pursuit of the 'most elegant expression of the Douro.' Since their first vintage in 2001, this wine has been produced from local grapes, but in the Bordeaux manner, at the specialist winery of Quinta de Roriz.
Despite the heat, 2020 was a fresh and lively vintage, rounded out by 14 months in new French oak. Brimming with black cherry and plum, this is a powerful yet refined wine with excellent structure and concentration, herbal complexity, and a good spice to the finish.
96pts Wine Enthusiast: 'Produced by the partnership between Bordelais Bruno Prats and the Douro's Symington family, the wine is a stylish projection of rich black fruits and still youthful tannins. It has great potential. Drink from 2026.'
94pts James Suckling: 'This is deep, ripe and plush, with plenty of sweet, tarry blackberries, dark chocolate, violets, sandalwood, incense and cocoa powder. Just a hint of prunes. Broad, full-bodied and nicely chewy, with a tight structure and length finish to close. Quite concentrated and ripe but there is still poise, complexity and freshness.'