Quinta Do Vallado Tinto

Description

**Quinta do Vallado** The name of this wine comes from the vineyard where it originates – Vinha da Coroa – perched on a hilltop like a crown. It is an old vineyard, planted in 1958, with a north-facing aspect and a blend of more than twenty grape varieties (field blend). **Climate and Harvest** The year 2022 was one of the hottest and driest on record (since 1931). An exceptionally dry winter with very low precipitation was followed by an anomalous spring marked by extremely high temperatures and continued below‑average rainfall. May and July were the hottest months ever recorded in continental Portugal, and the very dry, hot conditions persisted through August and September. The harvest was long and uneven: significant production gaps occurred in the driest, poorest soils, while the cooler areas of the Douro, such as Baixo‑Corgo, yielded good yields. In this highly diverse and severe climate context, the vine cycle was non‑linear. It began late because of the cold winter, but with limited water and spring heat it approached normal activity. In sites where water stress was most pronounced – thin, poorer soils – growth even halted from July, and grape ripening progressed with great difficulty. Conversely, in richer, cooler sites the vines stopped their vegetative development due to drought and heat waves, yet displayed remarkable adaptability and eventually completed ripening, producing surprisingly good wine despite the adversity of the year. **Winemaking** After a manual harvest, the grapes are split into two lots. Fifty per cent are placed in stainless‑steel vats with a twist, without crushing, undergoing carbonic maceration followed by 14‑day fermentation. The remaining fifty per cent are crushed and destemmed, and also ferment for 14 days in stainless‑steel vats. Following this brief fermentation with very little extraction, the wine ages for approximately 18 to 24 months in second‑year French oak barrels. **Awards** - 93+ / 100 – Robert Parker (2018) - 93 / 100 – Wine Enthusiast (2017) - 19 / 20 – Grandes Escolhas (2022) - 18 / 20 – Revista Vinhos (2018) **Allergen Information** Contains sulphites. **SKU**: 106484

Taste this wine at:

Quinta do Vallado

Peso da Régua Douro Restaurant Wine Shop Spa Pool