Quinta de Pancas Arinto Reserva 2015

The 2015 Arinto Reserva (Quinta de Pancas) was partly (50%) aged for nine months in neutral French oak, the rest in stainless steel. It comes in at 12.5% alcohol. This would easily be my pick of the whites from Companhia das Quintas this issue. Reasonably concentrated and perfectly balanced (like the Pancas Chardonnay), this adds more precision and focus—and a lot more acidity. (That's Arinto!) Although I do think it is perfectly balanced, this is the one where an extra year in the cellar wouldn't hurt. The finish shows moderate tension, with some hints of tartness cut by wood. This should age pretty nicely and gain more complexity in time. - Mark Squires.