Júlio B. Bastos Alicante Bouschet Tinto

Description

Júlio Bastos created this wine as a tribute to his father, Júlio Bandeira Bastos. Made from a selection of the finest grapes from old Alicante Bouschet vineyards, foot-trodden in marble lagares and fermented at controlled temperatures, it was aged for 14 months in new French oak barrels. It shows an opaque, violet-tinged colour, with pure aromas of Indian ink (tinta-da-china), liquorice, wild berry notes and balsamic hints. On the palate it is very broad, dense and silky, with ripe, round tannins. Set in the Portuguese region of Alentejo, Quinta de Dona Maria is renowned for its 18th-century Palace, which is not only a historic landmark but has also been linked to winemaking for over 150 years. In 1988, under the new owner Júlio Bastos, the wines produced at this Quinta began to be sold both nationally and internationally, earning recognition from the general public and wine critics alike. Although the old winery was restored, expanded and modernised, the 19th-century marble lagares, central to the vinification of these quality wines, were kept. (image for illustrative purposes only)