Quinta de Vale de Pios- As Tourigas 2007

Vintage: 2007
Varietal: 50% Touriga Nacional, 50% Touriga Franca
Appellation: Douro DOC
Sulphur (SO2): 63ppm, 15ppm free
Sweetness: Dry
Acid: 4.7 g/L
pH: 3.6
Production Size: 1,800 bottles
Altitude: 300m (984.3ft)
Vineyard Age: 40 years
Residual Sugar: 0.8 g/L
Tannin: Elevated
Alcohol %: 12.5

A single parcel 1.5ha old vine plot is the source for this wine. The plants have less foliage and a smaller canopy. Because of the long days in the Douro, more sunlight is naturally available. If you trim the canopy, you are able to concentrate the efforts into less fruit, but you need to be careful of exposure- otherwise the grapes can sunburn. It is a tight rope to walk...

Soil Type(s): Cambrian vertical black schist soils with high pH and extraordinary availability of minerals and drainage.

Native yeast fermentation. The fermentation starts in lagars, with the must being transferred half way through into stainless steel. The pressing occurs just before malolactic fermentation, so the total maceration was four weeks. Aged in French oak barriques, 67% new, for two years. Filtered and bottled, then aged in bottle for 8 years until release.

The motivation to create this wine was to showcase the ageability of Douro reds. Too much of the region's wine is consumed too young. These two grapes are natural complements to each other. Touriga Nacional in 2007 was exceptionally fruity, elegant, floral and aromatic. 2007 being a cool vintage with a very long growing season provides an even bigger lift on the nose. Touriga Franca is much more dense, tannic, structured. It provides a backbone for the wine.

Braised beef, leaner cuts of meat, mushroom risotto, lamb chops, bbq ribs, baked beans.

• Portuguese, Brazilian, Argentine, Northern Italian