Douro – Portugal
The vine has been growth here since antiquity and the Romans made wine on the hilly banks of the Douro River throughout their long occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. Later, following the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal in the 12th century, the country became an important exporter of wine. However it was not until the mid-17th century, than the Douro Valley became the source of what we know today as Port.
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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.
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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
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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
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Kopke, a house specialising in aged tawny and aged white ports, is the oldest established port producer, in existence since 1638. There are special places in the world. Kopke found one of them. Quinta de São Luiz is located on the left bank of the river Douro, near Pinhão, in the parish of Tabuaço. It is an imposing estate, considered one of the most emblematic of the Douro region. The Quinta has gone through two major changes: on the one hand, the construction of the Bagaúste dam, with the consequent rise of the water level and the loss of vineyard land; on the other, the enlargement of the total area with the acquisition of several other properties in the area. The estate is made up of 125 hectares, 90 of which are planted with vines. The main grape varieties grown here are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cão. There are also small plots of Tinta Barroca and Souzão. The vines are classified as A, the highest grade in the Demarcated Region of the Douro. Irresistible with a starter of foie gras with aubergine and walnuts. A great choice for an endless array of desserts, such as toffee brownies, chocolate and pistachio pavé, or crostini of walnuts with chèvre. When teh weather picks up or the height of the Summer, serving this Port slightly chilly is a must.
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There are special places in the world. Kopke found one of them. Quinta de São Luiz is located on the left bank of the river Douro, near Pinhão, in the parish of Tabuaço. It is an imposing estate, considered one of the most emblematic of the Douro region. The Quinta has gone through two major changes: on the one hand, the construction of the Bagaúste dam, with the consequent rise of the water level and the loss of vineyard land; on the other, the enlargement of the total area with the acquisition of several other properties in the area. The estate is made up of 125 hectares, 90 of which are planted with vines. The main grape varieties grown here are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cão. There are also small plots of Tinta Barroca and Souzão. The vines are classified as A, the highest grade in the Demarcated Region of the Douro.
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The wine owes its name to the port city of Porto, but comes from the Douro Valley. Here you will find one of the most spectacular wine landscapes in the world with terraced vineyards on steep slopes. It is scorching hot in summer, freezing cold in winter. The Douro Valley was already demarcated in 1756, making it the oldest regulated area of origin in the world. Port itself is a fortified wine. By interrupting the fermentation by adding wine alcohol, the wine retains its residual sugars and also gets its relatively high alcohol percentage. Port does not stand for a single wine, but for a whole series of wines. Wines with very different styles and tastes due to differences in the blending and aging of the base wines. In 1636 Nicolau Kopkë settled in Portugal as 'consul general' (a kind of representative) of the Hanseatic League, a partnership between merchants and cities, during the Middle Ages. Two years later, the first bottles of wine were shipped to Northern Europe. And when Nicolau bought a farm in the Douro in 1781, he changed from buyer to producer. Port wine soon became the focus of the company. Kpke now is one of the oldest Port Wine House. Recognized by the variety and distinction of its Ports, Kopke represents in XXI century a symbol of quality and prestige. LBV stands for Late Bottle Vintage and is the result of single year's harvest of superior quality, aged in oak Vats. Balancing the intensity of flavours, the Late Bottled Vintage Port is the ideal choice to serve with main courses of meat, like filet mignon encrusted four peppers and veal cutlet with Bérnaise sauce. Its versatility knows no borders, being perfect to combine with an exuberant cheesecake of chocolate mint, a pear and chocolate mille-feuille or simply to enjoy with cheeses of medium intensity.
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Luis Seabra is a producer that is at the forefront of the “new Douro” movement. Rather than making table wines that are, for all intents and purposes, “Little Ports,” Luis has taken a more balanced, restrained approach to winemaking in the oldest demarcated wine region in the world. His guiding principles are showcasing terroir and nuance above power and extraction. Bright, mineral driven and elegant, Luis’ wines are typically exposés of soil type. With the Mono C, he is taking a look at a particular variety – in this case, Castelão. While Castelão is a grape that is typically found further south in Portugal, Luis has found a mono-planted plot of the light-skinned grape in the Douro and is working his magic to craft a wine of unparalleled delicacy and elegance. Would pair it with charcuterie, grilled pork dishes, roasted poultry
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Another excellent wine from Niepoort. Charme is all about elegance and balance, achieved by taking special attention to the smallest details during the entire wine-making process. Made in traditional stone lagares with 100% grape stems, Charme’s elegance is achieved using grapes from very old vineyards in Vale de Mendiz, on the banks of the Pinhão river. Pair it with mushrooms and game dishes, such as partridge or pheasant
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Niepoort is a Portuguese winery that was founded in 1842. It is currently run by Dirk Niepoort, fifth generation of the family it is named after. They use traditional Portuguese techniques such as grape treading, fermentation in cement tanks or aging in pipes, 550-litre port-aging barrels, whilst also using new technologies that ensure the grapes are handled with care. The winery has vines in different locations, some of which are over 100 years old, and an aging cellar in the town of Vila Nova de Gaia. The Niepoort Dry White vines have an average age of 30 years old and are planted in shale soils. The planting density of the plots ranges from 4,000 to 6,000 plants per hectare and the harvest is carried out manually to take the best care of the grapes. Serve as an aperitif, but it also goes down a treat as a dessert wine or simply on its own at the end of a meal
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Turris is Niepoort's flagship red wine from the Cima Corgo region, more specifically from a very old South-facing vineyard whose vines are more than 130 years old , it is one of the oldest vineyards we know of in the region. This truly ancient, uncultivated vineyard lies hidden in the heart of the Douro Valley and is a true gift from our ancestors and refelcts every detail of nature and its area. These grapes from the Torre were always intended for one of Niepoort top wine Batuta and were a dream come true from Dirk Niepoort. The Turris was bottled quite early to preserve its freshness, minerality, youthful nature and the purity of its aromas and we expect it to show great aging potential. In addition to being a unique wine, each bottle is also unique because the labels were individually designed by the artist João Noutel.
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Planalto is one of the biggest references of white wine in the Douro Demarcated Region, fruit of the in-depth studies carried out over the years, the careful choice of the grape varieties that compose it and the use of the best winemaking technology in its production. This white blend comes from high-altitude vineyards above the river Douro. The soil in the Douro Valley is schistous; a slate-like metamorphic rock that fractures vertically - allowing vine roots to dig deep to access water and nutrients to sustain them through the hot Douro summers. The poor quality of the soil forces the grapes to produce low yields of grapes with a great concentration of flavour. The grapes were harvested by hand and were selected for their balance between flavour intensity and freshness. Ideal to accompany fish, seafood and white meat dishes.
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Quinta de Cidrô presents the first Alvarinho produced in the Douro, another superb result of the continuous innovation that takes place in the vineyards of the property. The idea to plant Alvarinho in the Douro came from their ambition to produce a high quality white monovarietal from a Portuguese grape variety. A wine marked by fine and delicate aromas of citrus fruit and orange blossom, which presents an excellent aromatic complexity. Expressive and personalized, it is above all a full-bodied Douro wine, revealing flavours that can be guessed at in the aroma. A long and distinct Alvarinho, determined by a crisp acidity and a tasty minerality.
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I have been chasing a 100% Touriga Nacional for a while now, with some disappointments in the middle. Mostly due to knowing the full potential of Touriga Nacional and what can be done with it. Was loosing faith(Poor supplier offering in Ireland) and was actively looking to import myself a few options until I stumbled upon this gem. This wine is the example where no one should judge a book by its cover. Across all Companhia Velha Wines the labels are just minimal, classy but not in the way you would think. Has a bit of I don't give a damn about them and that subtlety actually impresses me even further. No distractions to be added here!!! Bear in mind this winery was one of the first if not the first Wine family business(1756) in the Douro Valley(1763) and it was full integrated when it became the first official wine region in the world. Quinta de Cidrô is located at São João da Pesqueira, which is one of the most highly regarded areas of Douro Valley. Throughout the last 20 years, Cidrô has been transformed into an experimental-model vineyard for the entire region. In virgin soils, cutting edge techniques were employed to plant 150 ha of the best varieties, creating one of the largest surfaces of single vineyard in the entire Douro Region. In the most privileged location, international varieties perform equally well as the local grapes. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Noir, and the adaptable Cabernet Sauvignon are some of the foreign varieties that here express their best qualities when vinified by the extensive winemaking know-how present at the Company. Touriga Nacional is Portugal’s star variety and the dominant red grape at Quinta de Cidrô. The altitude of this Quinta provides excellent freshness and levels of acidity, ideal conditions for an elegant red wine. Touriga Nacional is a versatile grape, with its main characteristics being the small bundle, its low yield and jagged leaf. Its presence in the vines is intimidating, as it requires a constant care for its wild and rebellious character of growing disorderly. At Quinta de Cidrô, Touriga Nacional was adapted to a less habitual place, as it was mostly planted in low altitude vineyards and subject to high temperatures; the opposite of Quinta de Cidrô. Personally I love it on its own with at least 45 minutes decanting or enjoy really slow the very first drop. Winemakers suggestion for this stunning wine are: Rump Steak, Pork Leg, Parmigiano Cheese and Dark Chocolate.