Prats And Symington Douro Post Scriptum De Chryseia

Prats & Symington Douro Post Scriptum De Chryseia is a 750ml Douro red wine blend bottled at approximately 14–14.5% ABV, depending on vintage. Conceived as the second wine of Chryseia in the Bordeaux tradition, it has earned 92 points from James Suckling, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and Wine Spectator on its 2022 vintage, with Wine & Spirits awarding the 2021 vintage 94 points.

Quick Facts: ABV: ~14–14.5%  |  Origin: Douro, Portugal  |  Style: Douro Red Blend  |  Producer: Prats & Symington (Quinta de Roriz)

Production & Heritage

Prats & Symington is a joint venture between Bruno Prats — former proprietor of Château Cos d'Estournol in Bordeaux — and the Symington family, one of the Douro's most established port wine dynasties. Post Scriptum is sourced from vineyards at Quinta de Roriz and built around Touriga Franca (typically 50–56%) and Touriga Nacional (34–49%), with smaller additions of Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca varying by vintage. Grapes are hand-sorted, destemmed, and undergo automated berry selection before gentle crushing and fermentation at 25°C with specially selected yeast cultures. The wine then ages for 12 months exclusively in used French oak barrels — a deliberate choice that keeps the fruit forward and the oak influence restrained, making it more approachable at a younger age than its sibling, Chryseia.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with dark plum, black cherry, and graphite before shifting into floral layers of violet and potpourri. Depending on the vintage, secondary notes of cocoa powder, Earl Grey tea, and dried sage add complexity.

Taste: The entry is ripe and fruit-driven — mulberry, plum sauce, and black currant dominate the front palate. Mid-palate, fine-grained tannins emerge alongside savory notes of black olive, grilled pepper spice, and a mineral, almost stony undercurrent. The structure is firm but polished, never heavy-handed.

Finish: Medium-to-long, with dusty tannins carrying lingering impressions of anise, tobacco, and crushed herbs. A subtle graphite note persists and invites the next sip.

How to Drink Post Scriptum de Chryseia

This wine shows its full personality at cellar temperature — around 16–18°C — and benefits from 30 minutes of decanting to let the tannins soften and the aromatics expand. A Sangria Tinta built around this wine gains real depth from its dark fruit and spice backbone. A bold, red-wine-based Kalimotxo (equal parts red wine and cola over ice) becomes surprisingly complex with the wine's graphite and herb notes. For a refined aperitif, a chilled Tinto de Verano with lemon soda lets the violet and cherry top notes shine in warm weather.

Best For

• Introducing a wine enthusiast to premium Douro reds beyond port
• Pairing with a weekend dinner of grilled lamb or braised short ribs
• Gifting someone who appreciates Bordeaux-style structure from Old World regions
• Building a cellar-worthy collection without ultra-premium pricing

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Post Scriptum de Chryseia taste like? It delivers ripe dark fruit — black cherry, mulberry, plum — supported by fine tannins and savory notes of graphite, black olive, and tobacco. The oak influence is restrained, letting Douro's native grape character lead.

How does Post Scriptum compare to Chryseia? Post Scriptum is the second wine of Chryseia, made from the same Quinta de Roriz vineyards but aged exclusively in used French oak rather than new barrels, resulting in a fruit-forward, more approachable style intended for earlier drinking.

Is Post Scriptum good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — its balanced tannins, aromatic complexity, and moderate alcohol make it an excellent wine to enjoy on its own, especially with 30 minutes of decanting to open up the layered nose.

Where is Post Scriptum de Chryseia made? It is produced at Quinta de Roriz in the Douro Valley, Portugal, by the Prats & Symington partnership — a collaboration between Bordeaux négociant Bruno Prats and the Symington family of the Douro.

What foods pair well with Post Scriptum de Chryseia? Grilled lamb chops complement the wine's herbal and graphite notes. Slow-braised beef short ribs match its tannic structure. Aged hard cheeses like Manchego or São Jorge echo its savory depth. Roasted duck with cherry reduction mirrors its dark fruit profile. Chargrilled Mediterranean vegetables bridge the wine's smokiness and violet aromatics.

What sizes does Post Scriptum come in? Post Scriptum de Chryseia is widely available in the standard 750ml bottle.

Is Post Scriptum worth the price? Post Scriptum positions as an accessible entry point into the Prats & Symington portfolio, delivering multi-critic 92-point quality at a price tier well below its flagship sibling Chryseia, making it strong value within premium Douro reds.

Why Post Scriptum de Chryseia?

Few Douro reds at this price tier carry the pedigree of a Bordeaux-Douro collaboration backed by the Symington family's multi-generational vineyard knowledge. The deliberate use of only used French oak preserves the varietal intensity of Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional — grapes that can be overwhelmed by aggressive barrel programs. Consistent 92-point scores across multiple critics and vintages confirm this is not a one-off success but a reliably well-made wine. For anyone seeking serious Douro character without the wait or cost demanded by top-tier cuvées, Post Scriptum remains one of the region's smartest entry points.