The 2004 “S” is a 50/50 blend of Alicante Bouschet and Trincadeira, aged in new French oak for 24 months. It opens too consumed by the oak, and that licorice and vanilla nuance is always there. There is good fruit here, though, too, including the tasty cherry nuances from the Alicante, but they are frequently obliterated by the oak treatment. The Trincadeira provides a little earthiness at times, but it too plays second fiddle. Elegant in the mid-palate, this shows some grip on the finish, although the tannins are ripe and refined. The oaky nuances do recede with some time, but what is left is not impressive, the mid-palate seeming a bit light and the fruit a bit subdued. The price runs about 16 Euros in Portugal. Drink now-2014.There is no USA importer at this time, although there likely will be one soon.