Text José Silva

With the good taste and humor that we recognize in them, the Nicolau de Almeida family launched the 2012 harvest of their “Quinta do Monte Xisto” wine in an uncommon place: the railway station of S. Bento, in the city of Porto.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the many rooms on the first floor of the ancient building was decorated with some furniture of the family, a simple set up with schist and wild plants that were brought from Foz Côa and some wood boxes that pack the bottles, as recognizable components of the origin of their creation.

With the presence of all of the family elements but young João Nicolau, it was the father’s duty to do the honor of the house and present this new vintage of a wine that is prepared with the opinion of the whole family. As he said: “This wine is a blend of the Nicolau de Almeida family, it is discussed among all and we all learn with each other”.

We moved on to the wine tasting, which showed itself in a very good shape, though still very young, and promising to follow in the footsteps of its almost sold out older brother, from the 2011 vintage, . Vineyards in schist soils, with a sometimes merciless climate, that rudeness of extremes, and a different viticulture from other places in Douro, producing healthy grapes, well matured, chosen with rigor. The wine aged in 600 liters oak barrels, mostly used ones.

It showed a red ruby intense color, full body, delicate in the nose, silky, good presence of delicious red fruit, some freshness and an intense and inebriant floral. In the mouth it had great refinement, very well balanced acidity, fresh, young, powerful but controlled tannins, velvety red fruit, wonderful mouth volume, slight spicy notes and delicious and long final. In the words of João Nicolau de Almeida: “It is refined, delicate, powerful, silky, with volume, you feel like drinking more!”

A wine that will most likely become one of Douro’s classics, with its very own character and a profile that reveals this family’s wine making style. As Mateus Nicolau de Almeida said: “Quinta do Monte Xisto is our own creation, of our family, our DNA is there, it´s a life project”.

By the invitation of the Nicolau de Almeida family, lunch was served at DOP restaurant, by Chef Rui Paula, that began with the matching of two Mateus Nicolau de Almeida’s wines, Muxagat Rosé 2013 and Muxagat White 2012, and finished with the one that was being presented, Monte Xisto 2012.
Muxagat 2013, made from tinta barroca and tinto cão grapes, picked in the Meda region, showed a fantastic salmon color. Slightly floral and fresh in the nose, extremely refined, it is austere in the mouth, dry, great volume and long final, pretty much gastronomical.

It went with smoked salmon with sour cream, Brie cheese with three chili pepper jam and a delicious mini pie from Chaves. Muxagat white 2012 showed light yellow crystal color, some sweet notes in the nose, a lot of matured white fruit, fresh, refined and soft.

In the mouth it was strong, peremptory but very fresh, incredible acidity, great structure and refinement, a lot of refinement, and it matched an octopus carpaccio with vegetables and mozzarella cheese tile.

Meat dish, “bízaro” pork nape with celery and green asparagus puree, was the perfect matching for the new Quinta do Monte Xisto 2012, and then a delicious chocolate trilogy, finishing a great meal.

We said farewell to the Nicolau de Almeida family, at least till next year, for another wine with their DNA.

Contacts
Caminho do Curral Teles Vila Nova de Foz Côa
5150-636 Vila Nova de Foz Côa