Tinta Amarela or Trincadeira is a red wine grape that is commonly used in Port wine production. The grape is noted for its dark coloring. Its use in the Douro region has been increasing in recent years. The vine is susceptible to rot and performs better in dry, hot climates.
-
Niepoort is a family business dating back to 1842. Its winemaking tradition began in the Douro region, with the roduction of Port wine. Nowadays has a foothold in all the major Portuguese regions with still wines production outside the Douro Valley. Know-how, enthusiasm and an innovative mindset have passed down from generation to generation, making Niepoort one of the most authentic and notable Portuguese wine producers. The grapes to produce this wine come from Quinta do Carril, from a north-facing vineyard with more than 70 years, and also from old vineyards about 100 years old near Quinta de Nápoles. Niepoort sums up this elegant bottling well by saying “Batuta is a wine of extremes, having more of everything, is at the same time, the one with a more discrete behavior.” Quite so this year (and most), as the wine opens with subtlety and elegance, seeming rather mute. It is somewhat tinged by oak early in its life. That will be easily absorbed. It takes some air and patience to see what this sometimes too subtle wine has, but there is good structure underneath (and a little tannic pop that emerges with air) that should allow the wine to develop well and have the time to acquire some complexity, which is often its best feature. It has a very Burgundian feel, with a silky, graceful mid-palate. There is nothing obvious about this bottling in any year. This year, certainly, it is a Batuta that is perhaps subtle to a fault, but it will be a perfect food wine and when you are drinking it you will suddenly realize how much you like it.'' Time will tell, definitely one of the great current masters of winemaking. Not just in Portugal but in the world -
Is with wines like this one that you start uncovering the great potential of Douro wines. 'Castas Escondidas' translates as 'hidden varieties' and showcases old-vines, field-blend fruit and some of the lesser known grape varieties of the Douro Valley. What makes this drop a superior wine is not only the great quality of the terroir, region characteristics, the field blend vines used but most importantly the high intervention from skilled winemakers producing this wine. With all of these movements happening which by all means are fantastic such as natural wines, low intervention and so on, memories can be short and people will have some tendency to forget that winemakers spent hundreds of years studying the production of wine going by the scientific name of oenology and therefore they are oenologists with the main purpose being interventionists in every single process of the wine production!!! oh dear, I feel I am opening a can of worms here... As the magician himself describes “Casa Ferreirinha Castas Escondidas was designed to stage the varieties commonly used in batches of Port Wine, but rarely explored and which result in a perfect combination with other more well-known varieties” , says Luís Sottomayor, the winemaker responsible for Sogrape wines in the Douro. . “The small percentage of grapes harvested from old vines gives even more special characteristics to the final batch” Great with for special occasions, quality red meats and cheeses. Be responsible and drink this wine moderately as it is one of a kind -
Easy to drink and Portuguese through and through. Great companion to any celebration and can easily keep up. People pleaser is the word that comes to mind. Would suggest this one for weddings or any events, as it will deliver. Well priced and won't empty your pockets. Get it, enjoy it....responsibly obviously! Easy meals, canapes and cured meats with soft cheeses will go down well with this wine. Keep it confidential and do NOT tell anyone about this wine. It's our secret. -
Dow’s is owned and managed by the fourth generation of the Symington family, Port producers since the 19th Century. The family, whose experience dates back over 100 years, supervises all the vineyards, winemaking and ageing of this wine. Dow’s owns two of the Douro’s finest Quintas, Senhora da Ribeira and Bomfim. They were acquired in 1890 and 1896, making Dow’s one of the first houses to invest in premium vineyards. Nirvana is a special Port made to complement chocolate. Port pairs wonderfully with many foods, but few as perfectly and pleasurably as chocolate. Dow’s wine making team set out together with the help of ‘The Flanders Taste Foundation’ in Belgium to craft a Port that would provide the ultimate match for chocolate. After a series of tastings supported by scientific analysis to identify the key flavour components of both Port and Dark Chocolate the blend was refined accentuating the floral aromas and the tannic structure o -
Quinta do Vale Meao Meandro Tinto is a Douro red wine made by one of the most famous wine estates of the Douro, if not the world. The estate was Bought and established by that legendary lady of Port, Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, in the early 19th Century, it has been the stage for many pioneering feats of winemaking and viticulture in the Douro. Currently Quinta do Vale Meao is still in family hands, with descendant Francisco Xavier Olazabal (Vito), his winemaker son Francisco (Xito) and daughter Luísa all devoted to the cause. This humorous and relaxed team has, since they started making wine at the quinta in 1999, pushed the boundaries of excellence in Douro reds beyond what was imaginable. The vineyards are perched on the Douro River’s most dramatic meander (hence “Meandro”) and consist of some 70 hectares of vines planted on schist, granite and alluvial soils. The vines planted are the usual suspects for the Douro, Touriga Naçional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Barroca, Tinto Câo however they are block planted which ultimately allows more control over the blend (it is common practice in the Douro for the different grape varieties to be planted mixed up). The vineyards are adjacent to a fantastic granite mansion and winery. Quinta do Vale Meao Meandro is the “second” wine but shares a lot of the characteristics of its big brother, the Quinta do Vale Meao, but manages to reveal a character of its own. It is not an ordinary second wine by any means. Quinta do Vale Meao Meandro Tinto 2015 is a blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 35% Touriga Franca, 16% Tinta Roriz, 5% Tinta Barroca, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 2% Tinta Amarela. The grapes are harvested by hand, cooled down and then trodden in granite lagares, then transferred to stainless steel for vinification, by individual variety, before ageing in 2nd and 3rd year 225L French Allier oak barriques. It is a fruity and spicy wine with real Douro character. -
With bright and attractive colors, Papa Figos is one of the rarest birds in the Douro. The unique and rare character of this bird is the perfect inspiration for this magnificent red wine from Casa Ferreirinha. Papa Figos is an elegant and vibrant wine, classic but modern, which reflects the values of Casa Ferreirinha, the house with the longest tradition in the production of quality Douro wines and one of the biggest references in this region in the world. Viticultural Year: Dry and cold winter. In spring, except for the month of April, precipitation values were below the climatological normal and temperatures were mild, which allowed for budbreak in good conditions. In summer, temperatures were mild, without major heat peaks, with some episodes of precipitation, which favored a long and balanced maturation end, allowing the production of high quality wines. Ideal to accompany meat dishes. Being a very gastronomic wine, it can also accompany white meats or oven-roasted fish -
The Quinta of Vesúvio has a long and history. António Bernardo Ferreira bought the property in 1823, at that time called Quinta das Figueiras. The property was mostly covered with wild scrub stretching up the mountainside and an abundance of fig trees, which gave it its name. He felt that this property had enormous potential as vineyards. It took his team of five hundred workers thirteen years to carve terraces out of the steep slopes and plant thousands of vines. In 1827, Ferreira built the winery, with its eight granite lagares (large, open vats or troughs), in which wine grapes are crushed by foot to this day, and eight chestnut vats, each capable of holding the equivalent of one lagar of Port. This original winery is where all of Vesúvio’s Port is still made. The Quinta do Vesuvio been in the Symington family since 1989 and it totals about 326 hectares, of which 133 are planted with vines. This is Vesúvio’s second-tier wine and its is named after the estate’s dovecote, a structure intended to house pigeons or doves, or “pombal” in Portuguese, which is surrounded by vineyards. Unlike the first-tier fruit, the grapes are transported to the Quinta do Sol winery for processing and fermentation. The contrast between the property's quotas provides the wines with unparalleled structure, complexity and aging potential, as well as the preservation of traditional wine production methods, which highlight Quinta do Vesuvio as the only one that actively continues to create its wines with this base. A Quinta of enchanting and memorable beauty, worth the visit but with outstanding wines. -
Out of stock
Quinta do Vallado, established in 1716, is one of the oldest and most famous Quintas in the Douro Valley. It once belonged to the legendary Dona Antonia Adelaide Ferreira, and still belongs to her descendents. Produces both still and port wines. This eighteenth-century Douro wine estate is actually one of the most modern-looking in Portugal. Although the team uses the traditional panoply of indigenous grapes, its methods are bang up to date and the results are nothing short of sensational. Tawny ports are wines usually made from red grapes that are aged in wooden barrels exposing them to gradual oxidation and evaporation. As a result of this oxidation, they mellow to a golden-brown color. The exposure to oxygen imparts "nutty" flavours to the wine, which is blended to match the house style. This port is really best enjoyed with a good strong cheese board. Think mature hard cheeses and salty blues. Rich and flavoursome to match with the intense flavours of the port. -
This great wine is from Luis Seabra, former Head winemaker at Niepoort. He focus his winemaking on the distinct soil types in the Douro valley with minimal intervention. Fresh, mineral driven red that showcases the purity of fruit achievable in the Douro valley. Pair with roast game or poultry, or ratatouille.
