“The 2011 Vinhas Velhas de Santa Maria (Quinta de Foz de Arouce) is mostly Baga, aged for 12 months in French oak (40% new, the rest second year). It comes in at 14% alcohol. It does have, "depending on the year," I was told, a bit of Touriga Nacional scattered among the Baga vines. In 2011, it was about 3% to 5%. This has all the makings of a fine Baga, with a very civilized touch. Personally, I might have wished for a bit more energy and tension, but there's no doubt about how fine this is. Surprisingly rich on opening, with a mouth coating blast of fruit, it tightens with air, becoming moderately intense, but never overly aggressive. Beautifully balanced and very refined, this is built to age and it should do so well. It has all the finesse of great wines. Its fruit is full of flavor, too. With a couple of hours of air, it becomes more and more flavorful and more varied in flavor. Although unevolved, it is surprisingly approachable if you must dive in now. It will also acquire far more complexity and shed some oak artifacts if you give it a few more years. It should hold well for a couple of decades, maybe better than I think, but let's start slowly for the moment.”
— Wine Advocate, Dec 2015

“Made from an old vineyard with schist soil, this fine wine is rich and full. It has style though, the tannins of the Baga restraining the texture and giving a fresh lift at the end. The dusty tannins and the perfumed acidity both speak to aging.”
— Wine Enthusiast, Oct 2015