Vértice Millésime 2013

The 2013 Millésime Espumante Bruto (Vértice) was disgorged in March 2019 (the disgorgement date is noted on the bottle). There's a lot different this year. It is a roughly equal blend of Gouveio and Chardonnay, a big change in the blend. It was aged on the lees for some 58 months (versus 70 for the 2012). It comes in crisp and dry, with just six grams of sugar, 7.42 of total acidity and 12% alcohol. So, this year is very different in blend (including the dependence on Chardonnay), the elimination of oak and a lesser time on the lees (thus disgorged at about the same time as the 2012 was). What's going on? This vintage does mark a change with this well-priced, yet often exceptional bottling. Co-owner Michael de Mello said that in the past "the assembled lots were identical for the Millésime & Branco, the dosage was different, as was the time on the lees and the wood treatment." This year it is made from its own blend—and "the blend will depend on the year." As for the wood, "it was previously a differentiator based on the same blend, [but] now that the blend is autonomous, it may or may not be aged in wood." In this new incarnation in what was often a difficult year (although it was often exceptional for the whites), this shows very well, but I admit it is not entirely consistent with expectations, just based on the past and its former personality. There's an oxidative nuance around the edges. It seems bigger and deeper than the 12% alcohol would suggest, though. Nicely textured, it coats the palate well. It doesn't have as much nuance as I expected, but there is more than a little complexity. These have a tendency to age well, but I'm wondering if this actually will hold as well as some have done. It still has plenty of life left. Take that in stages.