Quinta de Vale de Pios- Vinha das Arzilas 2013

Vintage: 2013
Varietal(s): 40% Touriga Nacional, 25% Touriga Franca, 25% Tinta Cão, 10% Tinta Roriz
Appellation: Douro DOC
Sulphur (SO2): 63ppm, 15ppm free
Sugar: Dry
Acid: 4.9 g/L
pH: 3.7
Production Size: 1,800 bottles
Altitude: 300m (984.3ft)
Vineyard Age: 42 years
Residual Sugar: 0.7 g/L
Tannin: Elevated
Alcohol %: 14

A small plot where a layer of decomposing clay stretches over the dominant black schist soils of the Douro. 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 of the vine into the fruit, instead of the leaves. This slows down the physiological ripening process and allows for more phenolic ripeness. Dry farmed, hand harvested.

Soil Type(s): Cambrian vertical black schist soils with a layer of decomposed clay over top.

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.

This is essentially the Vale de Pios bottling grown on poorer, colder soils and aged for 4 extra years in bottle. Incredibly smooth and complex.

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

• Portuguese, Brazilian, Argentine, Northern Italian