2007 Vale de Pios, “As Tourigas”

An odd phenomenon in the wine world is how some wines simply smell expensive—not “the bigger the better,” but rather wines that exude a sense of regality and refinement. Vale de Pios’ 17-year-old “As Tourigas” is one of the clearest examples you’ll find. One sniff and you’ll be in triple-digit price tag territory. One taste will validate your prudent purchase. Sourced from an old 1.5-hectare parcel, and after an extraordinarily long barrel- and bottle-aging regimen, the 300-case production has been quietly released in periodic waves. Unless fortuitously stumbling upon it in an esoteric restaurant there’s no sense in trying to find this rare bottle anywhere else: This is your chance to snag a beautiful, under-the-radar red that rivals elites all over the world.  Seriously: Vale de Pios’ sole reason for crafting this strikingly savory and finessed wine was to showcase the cellar appeal of Douro reds!  Portugal’s Douro Valley is one of the most breathtaking and treacherously steep wine-gr