Ribeiro Santo Tinto

Description

**Ribeiro Santo** **Region:** The Demarcated Region of Dão is one of Portugal’s oldest wine regions, dating back to 1908. Located in central Portugal, it lies in a mountainous area ranging from 400 to 700 m in altitude, with the Serra da Estrela—the highest peak in mainland Portugal—serving as a prominent landmark. The region takes its name from the river that runs through it, the Rio Dão. The wines are strongly influenced by the granitic terrain and by the fact that the vines grow within forests of pine and eucalyptus. **Vines:** The vineyard follows the traditional planting system and was planted on a poor granitic soil with large rocky outcrops that offer views of the Serra da Estrela. The entire vineyard operates under integrated production, demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental issues. The combination of cultural practices and the careful use of environmentally friendly organic products results in balanced wines. **Vinification:** Harvest took place in the second week of September. The grapes were hand‑picked into small 18 kg boxes, selected meticulously for the best fruit from the vineyard. The grapes were fully destemmed and pressed in a traditional granite crusher, where they macerated for 24 hours at low temperature before the start of alcoholic fermentation, which used selected yeasts at a controlled temperature. The alcoholic fermentation lasted about 15 days, with foot‑pushing to homogenize the must and ensure good extraction of colour and aromatics. After fermentation, the wine was transferred to new French oak barrels, where malolactic fermentation took place. It remained in the barrels for 14 months, and after bottling, it spent a minimum of six months maturing in the bottle in a cool cellar. **Awards** - Grandes Escolhas: Best Selection 2018 - Concours Mondial de Bruxellas 2018: Gold Medal - Robert Parker – 95 pts - Revista Grandes Escolhas – 18.5 pts - Wine Enthusiast – 93 pts **Allergen Information** Contains sulphites. SKU: 100668