Alvaro Castro 2018 'Quinta de Saes' Tinto, Dao DOC

Alvaro Castro 2018 'Quinta de Saes' Tinto, Dao DOC

Item Number: 16682

UPC: 5-606686000621

Country: Portugal
Region: Dao
Sub Region: Dao
Appellation/AVA: Dao DOC
Estate Grown Wine: Yes
Vintage: 2018
Grape(s): 25% Touriga Naçional / 25% Alfrocheiro / 25% Jaen / 25% Tinta Pinheira
Type: Wine - Red
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
Alc by Vol(%): 13
Viticulture: Certified Organic
Soil Type: Granite-based with lines of clay sand
Elevation: 500 meters

This is an authentic, unmitigated Dão red – an archetypal expression of the elegance and minerality of this terroir.  

Winemaking Notes: This wine macerates for 10 days to maximize aromatic extraction. Wild yeast fermentation occurs in stainless fermentation vats. This tinto ages for 18 months in 2nd and 3rd use large format French oak.  

Vineyard Notes: Quinta de Saes is located in the northern part of the Dão. The plots for this vineyard are planted to granite at 500 meters (1,640 feet) elevation. The Dão has a temperate continental climate, protected from the cold winds of the Atlantic by the Luso Mountains, from the warm winds of Extremadura to the west by the Sierra da Estrela, and from the arid heat of the Douro by the Serra do Caramulo. Rainfall is 26 inches per annum, with no irrigation in the vineyard. Organic and biodynamic principles are used; sheep graze in the vineyards in winter and native grasses grow year-round for cover crop.

Tasting Notes: Bright fresh cherry, pomegranate, candied violet, rose petal and flint show on the nose. The palate is elegant and fresh, with floral and spice notes wrapped around a core of fresh cherry fruit. Finishes long, with mouthwatering acidity and a consistent beam of minerality through the finish. The fresh red fruit and delicate aromatics of the Quinta de Saes Tinto pair very well with roast poultry and game. Mushrooms and other umami-laden dishes are also fine pairs.

Reviews

  • Wine & Spirits
    Rating: 93 (2/1/2023)

    ...this is among the most straightforward wines they make, and it showed beautifully in 2018: An elegant red with lovely richness, its melodramatic funk in control, its fruit in blossom–red plum, violets and rose petals. Alvaro Castro and his daughter Maria grow Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Jaen and Tinta Pinheira for this blend.