Howards Folly Sonhador 2018

The 2018 Tinto Sonhador Howard's Folly is 50% a field blend from old vines with the rest mostly Alicante Bouchet and Aragonez (purchased fruit), all aged for nine months in a mixture of 55% stainless steel and 45% used French oak. It comes in at 14.4% alcohol. The Alicante shines through, expressive and graceful. There is finesse and silk to go with the flavors of the grapes, all particularly pure thanks to the stainless steel component. It's a nice combination and good value point in the lineup.

Very dark and smells of tiny, little, ripe dark berries but also some red fruit. Much purer than the earlier vintages. Dark, fresh and peppery. Lovely freshness and fine, dry tannins add to that freshness. Vibrant and aromatic. Much more finesse, too. Long, dark-fruited, dark-chocolate texture.

Partially a field blend of old vines up to 50-years-old, the wine comes from the hills in northern Alentejo. It is a rich wine, powered by dark fruits, blackberry and plum along with ripe tannins. It is impressive and worth aging for longer. Drink from 2024.