Text Sarah Ahmed

I was bowled over by Monte da Ravasqueira’s latest releases, especially Monte da Ravasqueira Premium White 2012, Premium Rosé 2013 and Vinha das Romãs 2012.  A case of third time lucky because, although invariably well made, this Alentejo’s producer’s wines were not an instant hit with me. Did I miss something? Even the best wine tasters sometimes get out of bed on the wrong side!

A vertical tasting this June went some way to answering my question.  Looking at different vintages of the same wine is my favourite way to assess, not only the impact of the ‘hand of god’ (vintage variation), but also the human hand – changes in viticultural and winemaking approach are laid bare too. So what did I learn from looking at three vintages of Monte da Ravasqueira Vinha das Romãs (2012, 2011, 2010)?

If we’re talking ‘hand of god,’ each vintage lived up to expectation.  The 2012 was elegant with good structure.  The denser 2011 had more powerful fruit.  As for the 2010, it was relatively open-knit and, with a splash of Alicante Bouschet, a touch rustic – significantly the least age-worthy of the trio (even taking into account its relative age).   All in all, it seemed to me that the 2012 had an extra degree of refinement – greater finesse.  With brighter, better-defined fruit, it was more balanced than the teetering towards over-ripe 2011. In fact, contrary to received wisdom about these vintages, I reckon the 2012 will comfortably outlive the 2011.

Monte da Ravasqueira Vinha das Romãs Single Vineyard 2012 – Photo by Sarah Ahmed | All Rights Reserved

Chief Winemaker Pedro Pereira Gonçalves – Photo Provided by Monte da Ravasqueira | All Rights Reserved

How come?  The varietal mix (70% Syrah, 30% Touriga Franca) is the same, as is the winemaking; I don’t think a year’s difference in vine age matters a jot (as a general rule, wines attain better balance with age).  For me the answer lies in Monte da Ravasqueira’s adoption of precision viticulture in 2012 (and the dynamic incoming Chief Winemaker who implemented it, Pedro Pereira Gonçalves).

To borrow from The Oxford Companion to Wine (Jancis Robinson MW), precision viticulture means “vineyard management is targeted rather than implemented uniformly over large areas.” It involves using technologies like infrared imaging, global positioning systems (GPS) and geographic information systems (GIS) first to assess, then manage, vineyard variables (such as soil type, depth and structure) which influence wine quality, quantity and style.

For Gonçalves, managing the variables within each of Monte da Ravasqueira’s 29 vineyard blocks, even within the same variety, has been the key to a “true interpretation of terroir.”   Returning to the sheer balance of the 2012, one senses that each vine performed to the best of its ability, making it easier to pick at lower baumé before grape sugars shot up and while natural acidity was good.  At any rate it surely explains why the 2012 vintage is a full degree and a half lower in alcohol by volume.

When I subsequently checked out my impressions about the 2012 with Gonçalves, whilst acknowledging the ‘hand of god’ (“2012 was a fantastic year for Syrah and Touriga Franca”), he enthusiastically agreed.  To borrow from Jennifer Aniston (!) this time, “here comes the science bit.  Concentrate.”  According to the winemaker, “with the information that we have from the precision viticulture techniques, it was possible to look at the spots in the vineyard with more balance and separate them from the others. It doesn’t mean that the others were less quality, but they were not what I look to for the Vinha das Romas wine, that is a balance between alcohol, tannins and acidity, quality of tannins (high values of anthocyans and IPT’s (anthocyans+tannins) and type of fruit flavours (more complex flavours, black fruit and spicy characters without that easy red fruit that sometimes we see on Syrah).”

Here are my notes on the wines from Vinha das Romãs.   Incidentally, Romãs refers to the vineyard’s previous incarnation – it was a pomegranate orchard until 2002 when a five hectare parcel was replanted to Syrah and Touriga Franca.  The plot is vinified and bottled separately because it produces particularly ripe, concentrated grapes.

Monte da Ravasqueira Vinha das Romãs Single Vineyard 2010 (Vinho Regional Alentejano) – a blend of mostly Syrah and Touriga Nacional with a small percentage of Alicante Bouschet and Touriga Franca (despite the name, the concept of a single vineyard was not implemented here because “Vinha das Romãs” vineyard is only planted to Touriga Franca and Syrah).  The 2010 was aged for nine months in French oak barrels, less than half the time of the 2011 and 2012.  This together with the vintage itself perhaps explains why it is significantly paler and less structured than other vintages.  On nose and palate it has a distinctive menthol, spicy character and pronounced iodine note which I recalled from my first tasting of the 2012 earlier in the year.  Gamey undertones to the 2010’s open-knit sweet and yielding plum fruit put me in mind of Rhône Syrah.  The tannins are ripe and a touch rustic.  Drinking very well now this is not a keeper.  14.5%

Monte da Ravasqueira Vinha das Romãs Single Vineyard 2011 (Vinho Regional Alentejano) – this spicy blend of 70% Syrah/30% Touriga Franca was aged for 20 months in new French oak barrels.  It is the darkest, densest wine of the three.  Concentrated ripe black berry and riper still (arguably over-ripe) black olive notes are well framed by ripe but present tannins.  A firm thrust of acidity pulls out the fruit over a long finish.  A vigorous wine.  14.5%

Monte da Ravasqueira Vinha das Romãs Single Vineyard 2012 (Vinho Regional Alentejano) – the same blend and elevage as the 2011, but this is a more animated, motile wine.   Though its blackberry and plum fruit is poised, very well-defined, it has an exciting spatial quality which gives room for this vineyard’s distinctive spicy liquorice, eucalypt and iodine notes to shine.  I remain impressed by the fresh profile and dry, firm, pomegranate-like pithy tannins of this intense but elegant wine – qualities which suggest it will age rather well – for a decade at least. 13%

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Tel: (+351) 266 490 200
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E-mail: ravasqueira@ravasqueira.com
Website: www.ravasqueira.com