AWARDS:
Robert Parker 95/100
Wine Enthusiast 100/100
19 points, Great Picks, November 2019, Portugal
Winter 2017 was extremely hot and dry. During the period from November to March, there were very low rainfall values when compared to the usual. Such values allowed that in phytosanitary terms the year was of total absence of diseases (downy mildew / powdery mildew), however, the lack of rain brought less vegetative expansion than intended, both in the development of the hedges and in the development of the bunches. With so low values of water being recorded in the soils, the development of the plants was limited, resulting in an anticipation of about three weeks in the cycle. Analytically observing that the levels of sugars and acids would soon approach what was intended, it was necessary to anticipate the harvests. We started harvesting the whites on the 16th of August with the Rabigato grape variety, and the harvest of the reds began on the 17th with the entry of the Grape Baga in the cellar. This was followed by the harvest of Tinta Amarela and Tinta Roriz (19 and 21, respectively). The first Touriga Nacional grapes entered the winery on 24 August and Touriga Franca on 30 August. As the harvest started earlier, it also ended a few days before the usual dates, with the last grapes received on the 20th of September. Although the year was hot and dry, the plants withstood the extreme dryness recorded, keeping the hedge in good condition until the harvest. From the oenological point of view, the 2017 harvest will be quite interesting, giving rise to wines with a very good structure, with a perfect balance of acidity, obtaining smooth, balanced wines and with an aging potential in an exceptional bottle.
