Terra do Zambujeiro Tinto Magnum 2019

The Wine Advocate
RP 94

Reviewed by: Mark Squires

The 2019 Terra do Zambujeiro is a blend of 38% Aragonez, 27% Alicante Bouschet, 11% Touriga Nacional, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and small amounts of Syrah and Petit Verdot, aged for 24 months in 30% new French oak. It comes in at 15.2% alcohol.

It's an imposing wine in every respect — ripe fruit, depth and power. It's not for the timid. The good news is that the balance seems very good. The structure complements and supports the fruit, so it never seems like just a “fruit bomb”, even with its bold, ripe fruity profile. On the other hand, the deep mid-palate absorbs the tannins and keeps it from being too astringent.

On opening it seemed a little rough and awkward, but about an hour in the glass helped a lot. This wine will need a few years in the cellar to show its full potential, but right now it looks like one of the best Terras. The key question is how good it will be when it peaks. Will it keep its balance perfectly? Will it evolve? Those are good questions to be answered in the cellar.

It will be more approachable soon, but I'd recommend revisiting it in 2025–2027 for a better assessment. It should age well after that. If you open it now, decanting is a must. Not imported, it costs around 40 Swiss francs in Switzerland (its most important market).