Although it has drawbacks economically, it makes fine wines. Its quality is evident in the perfect balance between tannins, acidity and sugar in the juice, in the firm but ripe quality of its tannins, and its rich colour. The wines are floral, dense and well structured, and can be very long-lived. It is frequently blended with Touriga Nacional and Aragonez, amongst others. The dense, thick skins of Tinto Cão grapes not only give rich tannins and colour, they also provide protection from mildew and rot. So what are its problems? It is late-ripening, and produces incredibly low yields, so low as to be economically unviable, and it is possibly therefore destined to die out.
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Casa Ferreirinha, was acquired by Sogrape Vinhos in 1987, its wines are synonymous with time and art. This has happened since its foundation, in the 18th century, by the hand of Bernardo Ferreira, who saw the formula refined by his descendants, especially by his granddaughter Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, who affectionately became known as "Ferreirinha" or "Ferreirinha-da-Régua" for the people of that land. Through the hands of Dona Antónia, who twice widowed herself at the head of a large company, Ferreira consolidated itself admirably. Her entrepreneurial spirit taught her to foresee, decide, create, teach and love, making her a figure of great projection and charisma. Barca Velha is the result of the passion of Fernando Nicolau de Almeida (Casa Ferreirinha Head Winemaker in 1952), who envisioned a high quality Douro Red Wines made with the aging potential of Vintage Ports. The first harvest was 1952. Barca Velha is only released in exceptional years, current head winemaker Luis Sottomayor began his career at this house as an apprentice learning directly from Fernando Nicolau D'Almeida. ''2011 was an extraordinary year-one of the best ever in Douro-Intense and exceptional quality. When this wine was born, we soon realized that it would be destined for Barca-Velha”. But even so, it was necessary to pass the great test of time with distinction. In the barrels, first, and then in the bottle, it was followed and evaluated over nine years, until the final decision was made. -
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 -
Among the valleys of the Douro River, near the left bank, in the village of Cambres, Lamego county, in the heart of the first Pombaline demarcation of the Region, is Quinta da Pacheca, one of the most prestigious and recognized properties in the Douro Demarcated Region. The history of the vineyard in this property dates back to the XVI century when it was a collection of vines that belonged to the Monasteries of Salzedas and St. João de Tarouca, as referred to in a document dating 1551. The estate is mentioned for the first time in a document dat- ed from April 1738 where it is referred to as “Pacheca”, a feminine form of the family name Pacheco for being owned for a lady, Da. Mariana Pacheco Pereira, an imposing woman who took care of the property by herself. Today it still is ran by a lady with the name Maria Serpa Pimentel. One of the Pombaline landmarks remaining that were first used in 1758 to outline this first ever Demarcated Wine Region in the world by the Marquês de Pombal, is still preserved inside Quinta da Pacheca, right at the main entrance to the traditional stone tanks. These granitic stone marks were declared property of national interest in the 1940s. It was in 1903 that D. José Freire de Serpa Pimentel bought the property and began to work on the modernization of the vineyard and structures among which are eight granite stone tanks where red wines from Pacheca are still vinified, resulting in limited annual productions of special categories Douro DOC wines and Port wines.This wine goes well with red meat, roast beef and grilled meatWith around 75 hectares of own vineyards planted in the Humanity World Heritage, classified by UNESCO in 2001, Quinta da Pacheca has always been focused in the pro- duction of quality Douro DOC and Port wines and was one of the first in the region to bottle DOC wines under its own brand. -
A Vintage Port is only declared in years of exceptional quality. Quinta do Vesuvio is arguably the most magnificent estate in the Douro valley. Located in the beautiful and austere Port-growing region of the Upper Douro valley, its history dates back to the 16th Century. “The quinta of all quintas – one of the wonders of the world”. At Vesuvio, the work of man and the work of nature achieve a perfect and enduring harmony. More than anywhere else in the Douro it has a haunting and enchanting beauty; when you leave it, you take with you a sense of the place that does not fade with time. Quinta do Vesuvio 2016 will surely make any lunch or dinner a memorable one. It is a fabulous accompaniment to chocolate desserts, such as chocolate pudding, but can also be enjoyed on its own - it is an experience in itself. -
Warre’s launch of Otima 10 & 20 Year Old Tawny caused a revolution in Port that introduced a completely new concept to consumers, helping to rejuvenate Port’s image in the main markets. Otima is now widely acknowledged as the most successful new development in the Port trade for over 25 years. The merit of Otima was to show Port’s versatility as an all year round, anytime drink, dispelling many of the myths attached to Port. Serve it chilled and pair it with the stinkish cheeses you most fancy
