The 2009 Touriga Nacional is revisited this issue as part of the vertical presented. One of the lusher and bigger Tourigas in this report--2009 was a warm year--this seems full-bodied, relatively speaking, for this graceful bottling. Palate-coating, vigorous, vibrant and very youthful, this has a lot of stuff going on and it easily has the capacity to age well, meriting an extension in the drinking windows. The texture is velvety and very sensual. If I had a quibble here, the alcohol does seem a bit obvious here and there. It is only listed at 14.5%. That said, it still shows well and nothing is dramatically out of place. This doesn't project quite the same finesse that the 2008 does, its predecessor in this vertical, but its rich feel compensates well.

The 2009 Touriga Nacional, sourced from the winery’s 1994 plantings, was aged in 50% new French oak. A bit too oak tinged in its youth, this nonetheless has gorgeous structure, impeccable balance and fine concentration. It should absorb the oak as it ages. Just holding it in the glass for 90 minutes started to prove that pretty well. Give it a year or two to settle down. I was not as easily convinced by this as by its sunny 2008 predecessor, but ultimately I think they are more or less qualitatively comparable, if somewhat differently styled, this one being bigger. This has a lot to offer, including fine concentration and seductive texture. Vallado has become a player in monovarietal Touriga Nacional. There were 6,916 six-bottle cases produced. Drink now-2020. Importer: Quintessential, Napa, CA; tel. (646) 484-6411

A solid, dark wine, this is structured and firmly tannic, deliciously perfumed. The black currant fruit is balanced with acidity and a dense, tarry character. The wine exudes dark power, very firm and certainly ageworthy. ——R.V.(2/1/2012)—— 92