Quinta dos Roques Reserva Dão 2018

Description

The leading (small) estate in the Dao revolution. At around 450m, Quinta dos Roques lies in the Dao heartland, just outside Abrunhosa do Mato. Luis and Luisa Lourenco lead this family estate, producing a wide array of meticulously assembled wines, where both traditional blending, and varietal offerings both excel. The Touriga Nacioanl here is often cited as Portugal's finest, while Quinta dos Roques Encruzado is regularly rated as one of the country's leading dry white wines. But perhaps the estate is best judged by Quinta dos Roques Tinto, a classic, Touriga-inspired, Dao red, which won the International Wine Challenge Portuguese Red Wine Trophy in 2014 (for the 2011 vintage).

The grapes for the Quinta dos Roques Reserva come from the old Pessegueiro vineyard. It is a typical field blend of Dao red grapes, aged in 2nd year French oak 225L barrels for 15 months and is allowed to mature sometime in the bottle prior to release. A blend of Touriga Nacional 55%, Alfrocheiro 20%, Jaen 15%, Tinta Roriz 5% and Tinta Cao 5%. Brilliant deep dark colour, with an intense fruit bouquet reminding wild blackcurrants and pine leaves, with vanilla and chocolate notes given by the oak. On the palate it is very generous with the astringence characteristic of its youth, foretelling a remarkable ageing due to its great balance between alcohol, acidity, tannins and body.