Quinta do Vallado

Douro Valley

Tinto 2021

Size

A blend of 70% old, 30% young vineyards. Touriga Nacional 25%, Touriga Franca 25%, with Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Sousão. The younger vines age in stainless, the older spends 16 months in 3-4 yo French oak.

Red-blue fruits and florals (violet and the local scrubby bush 'Esteva') with smokey blue schist aromatics - definitively 'Douro'! There are lovely cake-bake aromatics think Clafoutis, along with the stone-soil-berry amalgam. The palate is led by a stony austerity, quite the opposite of any 'Porty' referent. Restrained, fresh-and-earthy wine with lovely fruit spice and super elegant.