Field blend of about 10 different traditional grape varieties, including Rabigato, Códega do Larinho, Códega, Gouveio, Donzelinho Branco, Folgazão, Arinto. Granite soils. Made from a very old, pre-phylloxera vineyard on a small granite plateau (600 m above sea level) in the parish of Freixo de Numão, 15 km to the West of Foz Côa. Grapes picked by hand in small boxes. Grapes are refrigerated, and then pressed in pneumatic press, without destemming. Cold decanting, then fermentation with controlled temperature in French oak barrels and regular batônnage until one month before bottling, which took place in June 2014. 10 months in used oak barrels (85% French and 15% Caucasian) with regular bâtonnage.TA 6.6 g/l, pH 3.02, RS 1.1 g/l.
Cedary green-fruits freshness. Just a touch smoky from the oak. Dry, dense and with a freshness verging on sour, like grapefruit but richer. Full-bodied, creamy/chalky texture, the alcohol well in the background and the oak very subtle but present. Refined and harmonious with a mineral depth and impressive persistence. It might age longer but I haven’t tasted enough older vintages to know with confidence.
July 2015