Vale D. Maria’s Rufo (drumbeat)

Text João Pedro de Carvalho | Translation Bruno Ferreira

The Quinta Vale Dona Maria is a very old estate in the heart of the Douro Demarcated Region. Although the red was born with the 1997 harvest, the first white only emerged recently. It all began at a dinner after debating on how to adapt agricultural practices in order to achieve better environmental conditions in Vale D. Maria for the Alectoris rufa’s (scientific name for red partridge) population growth. In the midst of all the rambling, one thing got agreed which was that Rufo (red in Latin) would be a good brand name for a red Douro wine. It also means drumbeat, which announces and sets the entrance pace for the Vale D. Maria’s wine range. More recently, Rufo would come to have its white version in the market.

Cristiano van Zeller, Sandra Tavares da Silva and Joana Pinhão are the ones in charge of the winemaking here. Allow me to tell you that all their wines deserve a natural highlight, but this time I want to focus all attention on the only white, so far, that was produced with the seal Quinta Vale D. Maria.

The grapes for this Rufo colheita 2013 white were sourced from Sobreda and Candedo (Murça). The vineyards are at high altitude (600m) to bestow acidity and freshness to the wines. The choice fell on to a blend of Códega de larinho (50%) and Rabigato (50%). While the first grape variety (Códega do Larinho) gives it some tropicality, the latter (Rabigato) provides the necessary natural acidity. A whole that aged for 9 months in stainless steel until being released to the market.

A welcoming white with beautiful fruity aromas reminding citrus, white flesh fruits, a soft tropical in a quite pleasant whole with a minerality touch in the background. In the mouth it shows elegance and freshness, good intensity and a slight vegetal touch combined with the fruit’s natural sweetness which bring it to a somewhat dry finish, ideal for tidbits, salads and varied entrees based of cold meat or smoked salmon.

Contacts
Quinta Vale D. Maria
Sarzedinho
5130-113 S. João da Pesqueira
PORTUGAL
Tel: (+351) 223 744 320
Fax: (+351) 223 744 322
E-mail: francisca@vanzellersandco.com , cvanzeller@mail.telepac.pt , joanavanzeller@vanzellersandco.com
Site: www.quintavaledonamaria.com

Independent Winegrowers’s Association, a Decade of Excellence

Text João Pedro de Carvalho

The group of friends composed by Luís Lourenço (Quinta dos Roques – Dão), Luis Pato (Luis Pato Wines – Bairrada), Pedro Araújo (Quinta do Ameal – Vinhos Verdes), Joao Pedro Araújo (Casa de Cello – Vinhos Verdes/Dão) and Domingos Alves de Sousa (Alves de Sousa – Douro) decided to create a group (IWA) with the aim of making a joint promotion in foreign markets. They are all examples of producers of excellence, with strong character whose wines are faithful to the regions they represent.

The IWA celebrated on May 10, 2014 their 10th Anniversary. The annual meeting took place in Lisbon and gave place to the presentation of the latest news to be launched into the market, all a privilege of one afternoon to taste the best that Portugal (or part of it) has to offer.

A journey in a tasting format that begins in the Vinho Verde region, from the minerality of Sanjoanne Casa de Cello to the perfumes and charms of Loureiro of Quinta do Ameal. Descending a little we enter to the Douro lands with Alves de Sousa, earthy wines, marked by the terroir as the Quinta da Gaivosa or the great Abandonado, lost in time as the fabulous Porto 20 Year Old Tawny. From Dão region we get the Quinta dos Roques, where the palate caressed by the red silk that is the Roques Garrafeira or by the succulent freshness of red fruit of the Roques Reserva.

Still in Dão, and without forgetting the top wine of Quinta da Vegia which shows all the beauty of the region in a glass, by his side is the Vegia Reserva, more austere and ready for the curves of time. The journey ends in Bairrada, where Luis Pato presents a Baga of reference from the Vinha Barrosa or in the delicacy of the charms that the white Vinha Formal only shows with the time.

At the end we look at the pathway and at what has been tasted, and we are convinced that we have tasted high-quality wines that deserve to be known, able to shine high in any part of the world.

Quinta Sanjoanne Alvarinho 2013 (Regional Minho)

It is a novelty of the producer, an Alvarinho tense and mineral with clean fruit without tropical aroma in excess, tense and with very good freshness. In the mouth, very tasty in passing through the palate, mineral in the background with fruit juice, lemonade dryness at the end with good persistence. Full of detail and beautiful lace, a refined Alvarinho that will be delightful in accompanying some clams or mussels au naturel.

Quinta da Vegia Superior 2007 (DOC Dão)

A red wine of respect that stayed “forgotten” but well-kept by the producer. The wine is pure elegance, charm and complexity of fresh and live fruit, light touch of jam with all the distinctive atmosphere of a great wine from the Dão region.

Abandonado 2009 (DOC Douro)
Of an abandoned vineyard the Abandonado was born, a top of the range of the Douro region that conquers by its perfume of violets, mint and succulent fruit with a sweet touch, tobacco, much freshness with a luxurious structure. Large and very tasty, elegant on the palate, rich and full of flavor of enormous presence, long and peppery final.

Quinta da Gaivosa 20 Years Old Tawny Porto (Port Wine)
The blend has an average age of 20 years with very old wines of great quality in the mix. Complexity and elegance that will make you want to have always a little more, the rest is the classic aromas and flavors associated with this type of high-quality wines, soft in the mouth, and a long spicy final.

Luis Pato Vinha Formal white 2013 (Regional Beiras)
Year after year it is stated as a point of reference for the region and the producer, a white that enjoys aging and that the tasting in this moment is full of energy, pudgy fruit, yellow flowers, pollen, all together in a complex and delicate wine. In the mouth it is complemented, always with that bitter dryness at the end with the yellow ripe fruit accompanied by flowers at the beginning.

Luis Pato Vinha Barrosa 2011 (Regional Beiras)
The Baga at the highest level, more serious and more austere than the Vinha Pan, the Barrosa can immediately win by their complexity and aromatic richness. A complete luxury by the purity of flavors, by how the balsamic and the foliage of tomato join the dark and succulent fruit (cherry, black blueberries), a touch of pepper in a set that is still very new but that gives immediate proof of luxury to accompany a wild boar stew.

Quinta do Ameal Classico 2013 (Vinho Verde)
A compendium of what a great wine is, made of Loureiro, very fresh, charming and conqueror by the quality and definition of aromas and flavors, all in HD, freshness and minerality that mark the palate associated with fruit wrapped in syrup that delights the palate.

Quinta do Ameal Escolha 2012 (Vinho Verde)
The top of the range of the producer, the most serious and the one that has the least to say while new. You can Feel the austerity, bay leaf still green, clean and mature fruit, very good structure supported by the wood through which it has rested. Mineral background in a wine with a long life ahead.

Quinta dos Roques Bical 2013 (DOC Dão)
Only 1200 bottles, a very particular bet from the producer in this delicate and very fresh wine with aromas of flowers, white fruit, very clean with a hint of young girl perfume at the end. In the mouth it persuades by acidity and the presence of delicate fruit in a persistent finish.

Quinta dos Roques Reserva 2011 (DOC Dão)
The Roques Reserva 2005 is one of the wines that has given me more pleasure in recent times. Now came the 2011 and the charm remains at the highest level, the wine is juicy, attractive, with a big red mature and clean fruit. Backed by a very well integrated wood, beautiful body in a wine that shows some very good dryness in the back along with the freshness and a touch of rosemary and pine trees from the region.

White Wine Commemorative Edition of 10 years IWA (Vinho)
A White wine in which different varieties were used, one by each producer. In this way the blend named LARBE made from Loureiro, Alvarinho, Rabigato, Bical and Encruzado, originated a total of 1200 bottles. Delicate in the palate with freshness and good complexity, tense and a little austere which indicates a desire from the wine to grow in the bottle. Good minerality in mouth with presence of freshness and fruit cocktail.

Contacts
IWA
Av. da Boavista, 1607 – 5º Dto.
4100-132 Porto, PORTUGAL
Tel: (+351) 226 095 877
Website: www.iwa.pt