H.O. Tinto

Description

H.O. H.O. ACHADO TINTO 2018 results from combining different parcels of old vines from H.O, complemented with Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Sousão grapes. With varying sun exposures—east, south and west—and a predominance of slate soils, the parcels are situated at elevations ranging from 250 to 400 m. The Vinha Velha parcels comprise about 25 blended varieties and are roughly 110 years old, yielding a wine rich in complexity. After hand‑harvest, the grapes were transported in 18 kg crates to avoid damaging the bunches. In the winery, the crates were unloaded onto a selection mat for the first sorting. The grapes were then destemmed, hand‑sorted, and crushed, after which they were gravity‑fell into stainless‑steel fermentation tanks. After 48 hours of low‑temperature pre‑fermentation maceration, the alcoholic fermentation proceeded for 10 days, during which, according to grape variety and parcel, a protocol of remixing and delestaging was applied. Following malolactic fermentation, the components aged in 400 L oak barrels for 18 months. After bottling, the wine aged another 12 months in bottle.