Quinta de Vale de Pios- Vinha das Arzilas 2013

Typical Douro old vine red. A bit more elegant due to increased floral aromatics. Ripe blue fruit still dominates the profile, but the wine has a layer of complexity that comes from bottle age. A bit more savory, forest floor profile comes through on the finish.

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

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

Vineyard Notes

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.

Production Notes

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.

Fun Fact

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.

Food Pairing Notes

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

Cuisines To Try With

Portuguese, Brazilian, Argentine, Northern Italian