Luis Seabra

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Country of Origin: Portugal
Location: Vilarouco
People: Luis Seabra, Owner & Winemaker

Items

Luis Seabra 2023 'Xisto Ilimitado' Branco, Douro DOC Login In Stock
Luis Seabra 2022 'Mono C' Castelao, Douro DOC Login Please inquire
Luis Seabra 2021 'Xisto Ilimitado' Tinto, Douro DOC Login WA 91 In Stock

A star of the "new Portugal," Seabra is known for his intense and ageworthy still wines. His minimal-intervention approach yields wines that are terroir-driven testaments to ancient plots on the steep banks of the Douro River.

After a decade as the winemaker at Niepoort, where he was responsible for some of the best known and highly rated wines to come out of Douro and Porto, Luis Seabra decided that he no longer wanted to make wines following someone else’s tastes and specifications. Thus, he began his eponymous winery, and set about shattering preconceptions of what Douro wines represent.

Seabra is a particularly gifted winemaker, one who sees wine as a medium through which a piece of land can speak. The wines are stark expressions of the soil...and are extraordinary, especially the Cru Series. "Cru" translates as "raw" in Portuguese, and with these wines in particular, the transmission of terroir is unadulterated and singular.

Most of the vineyards are located between the southern part of the Douro Superior in eastern Douro near the Spanish border and the Cima Corgo at the heart of the Douro. The Cima Corgo is a subregion that experiences an extreme diurnal shift—in fact, it has some of the greatest day-night temperature swings in Portugal. The vines are very old, with some exceeding 100 years in age. The soil is primarily schist (xisto). Fermentation is spontaneous with native yeast.

Media Links
The New York Times: Where Port Reigns, Unfortified Wines Undergo a Stylistic Evolution
I'll Drink to That! Episode 458: Luis Seabra Opposes the Winemaking Orthodoxy
Punch: The 25 Essential Wines of 2018
Blend - The Online Wine Magazine: Raw: The Wines of Luis Seabra
SevenFifty Daily: Making a Case for Premium Vinho Verde

Reviews

  • Luis Seabra 2021 'Xisto Ilimitado' Tinto, Douro DOC
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 91 (4/4/2024)

    The red 2021 Xisto Ilimitado has a clean, expressive, fruit-driven nose that is quite aromatic, almost floral, attractive and elegant. Made from purchased grapes in the Pinhão zone, it was vinified with 100% full clusters in concrete and stainless steel and matured mostly in oak of different sizes for 15 months. The palate is juicy and fruit-driven, with fine and round tannins, a soft mouthfeel and a velvety texture. It has a moderate 12.5% alcohol, contained ripeness and a dry finish.