Croft Distinction Ruby Reserve

€ 14.74

This deep ruby-colored wine offers ripe, jammy aromas of raisins and black plums leading to youthful black fruit flavors on the palate. The wine is sweet and full-bodied with medium tannins. Well structured and balanced, it has excellent length. Can be enjoyed on its own after a meal, or paired with fruit-based desserts or a rich cheese plate. Made to be enjoyed immediately.

Food-Pairing

A delicious end to a nice dinner, a dessert of for example almond pastries, dark chocolate and desserts with red fruit. Also delicious with blue cheese

Grapes: Touriga Nacional , Touriga Franca , Tinta Roriz & Tinta Barroca

Alcohol content

19,5 %vol

Store & Serve

Serve at 14 - 16 °C

Critics & Awards

89/100 - Wine Spectator Tasted: Jun 2017

88/100 - The Wine Advocate Tasted Jan 2019

The NV Distinction Porto Special Reserve was aged for three to four years in used French oak. The only one of the Croft trio that doesn't come in the distinctive fat bottle, this still has a fat lip, thus requiring a larger size bar-top cork. I rarely see this as often as the regular Croft Ruby Reserve. David Guimaraens told me the difference here is that "Croft Reserve Ruby is a rich, fruity and youthful premium Ruby [that] is approachable. ... Croft Distinction is for Croft what Bin Nº 27 is for Fonseca, where we select special parcels of Port from each harvest to mature in large wooden vats, then blend into a rich full-bodied Port where you combine intensity of fruit and some maturity. ... As you know, older Ports like the Aged Tawnies and even the LBVs, require us to have large stocks to back up for future sales. These are very costly in every aspect, so having a premium Reserve Ruby such as Distinction and Bin Nº27 are very important for us as a business." While this isn't as rich as the regular Croft or as intense as the anniversary bottling, it has fine focus and good structure. It demonstrates some intensity as it airs out. It is also more lifted than the regular Croft, although it's not quite as deep. I wound up liking this a bit more than the regular, mostly because of its structure, and it is often available on the street for very modest money.

Mark Squires, January 2019

Tags: Ruby Reserve Port - Croft