CARM Casa Agricola Roboredo Madeira Grande Reserva, Douro, Portugal

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The 2008 Grande Reserva is mostly a Touriga Nacional (85%) with 10% Touriga Franca and 5% Tinta Roriz, partly oak fermented and then aged in French oak for 12 months. It promises to keep in this vintage and it has a pretty good chance to improve notably in the cellar. It was far too marked with sweet oak, especially on opening, despite the relatively modest oak aging. It became a distraction on the nose and the finish, the wine saved (and then some!) by a lovely, reasonably concentrated mid-palate and beautiful, harmonious structure. This focused wine has both finesse and a backbone, but not an overwhelming one. Its balance is impeccable but for those oak issues, which should resolve reasonably well. This seems to me to have upside potential, largely dependent on its absorption of the oak, something necessary to make it seem less generic, less straightforward. It has an excellent chance to do so. It was certainly better in a couple of hours than it was on opening. Give it 2 to 3 years to calm down and it should improve considerably. Drink 2013-2022. Importer: Grape Moments, a Division of Sintra Imports, New Bedford, MA; tel. (508) 997-0100

The 2007 GRANDE RESERVA is a Douro superior blend of TInta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. Although there is a bit of an oaky overlay up front, and this isn’t really shy, this has so much more than that. Beautifully structured and focused, intense on the finish and quite elegant, it evolves beautifully with air, throwing off juicy and flavorful fruit nuances on the finish. This is a wine that can provide sensuality, yet when it airs out it becomes crisp and powerful, even a little austere at times—relatively speaking-- integrating the oak a bit and showing off its structure. This has considerable potential. While approachable, it could definitely use another few years in the cellar and would be better around 2013. Drink now-2022. As previously indicated, note that I’ve dropped the parenthetical clarification I previously used for CARM’S producer name (explaining that CARM means Casa Agricola Roboredo Madeira). The “Roboredo Madeira” is clear enough on most of the labels now anyway.Importer: Grape Moments, a Division of Sintra Imports, New Bedford, MA; tel. (508) 997-0100.

The 2005 GRANDE RESERVA, is 90% Touriga Nacional, with a blend of Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca for the last 10%. It is sexy and lush, tinged a bit too much with oak at the moment, but hopefully it will improve in that regard with some cellaring. In the meanwhile, it is rich and bursting with flavor, aromatic and ripe, with a sensual texture. The oak (French, new) does make this seem a bit simple as well as New World, hardly a complex, earthy Douro. I tried it again the next day, and it was still hard to find the fruit. This is approachable now, even though, with air, the refined tannins appear and provide some gentle grip on the finish. It should hold nicely for several years as well. Drink now-2015. Importer: Grape Moments, a Division of Sintra Imports, New Bedford, MA; tel. (508) 997-0100

Balanced but powerful, the dense tannins push through the black fruits, accompanied by complex acidity and wood flavors. This demands attention, with its strong statement of richness, tight tannins and rounded fruits.——R.V.(11/1/2008)—— 93

The 2004 GRANDE RESERVA arrived last year grapey, thick and sappy, if not quite a barrel sample, pretty darned close to it. It is coming along beautifully now, a bit faster than anticipated, the structure and good balance more obvious. It is the most intense of the wines reviewed this year. It is fairly priced, well structured and very appealing. There were 3,300 cases produced, of which 1,000 were imported. Drink 2008-2017. CARM’s vineyards are located about 3 km from Spain, and right next to Quinta da Leda, the well known Casa Ferreirinha vineyard. CARM produced its first vintage in 1999. Excepting the Quinta do Coa bottlings, the wines are generally blends of up to 5 different Quintas. Most all of CARM's wines deliver bang for the buck.Importer: Grape Moments, a Division of Sintra Imports, New Bedford, MA; tel. (508) 997-0100.