Quinta Do Pôpa Tinto

Description

Quinta do Pôpa “O Inverno” was characterized as the driest of the last 40 years, with that low water availability in the soil limiting vine vigor. The vines budded at normal dates, but then experienced a delay in the vegetative cycle until the onset of flowering, which occurred in the last days of May under difficult conditions that produced strong drought stress and early bud break. Later, the reduced temperatures caused a further delay that extended until the start of the harvest. Despite the challenges, the grapes arrived at the cellar in smaller quantities but in perfect sanitary condition, ripe and balanced, yielding wines of excellent quality. The grapes were hand‑picked in early October from the 80‑plus‑year‑old “Vinhas Velhas” vines, never affected by noble rot. After meticulous sorting in the vineyard and transport in 20‑kg boxes, the grapes were fully destemmed and crushed. Pre‑fermentative maceration occurs at low temperatures (10–12 °C), as does the alcoholic fermentation (below 25 °C), with homogenization by foot‑pumping to maximize colour and aroma extraction, all carried out in open‑topped granite vats with stainless steel interiors and controlled temperature.