Quinta do Ataíde Douro Vinho Tinto 2016
Symington Family Estates is a family of British and Portuguese origin that has lived and worked in Portugal since the 19th century. The family business - run by the 4th and 5th generation - is founded on a deep commitment to Portugal's people, its lands and its wines. Today there are 10 family members working across the business, committed to producing the finest ports and wines and building on the achievements of the previous generations.
Symington Family Estates owns and runs four of the leading port houses, Graham's, Dow's, Warre's, and Cockburn's, as well as a portfolio of Douro wines consisting of Quinta do Vesuvio, Quinta do Ataíde, Altano, and Prats & Symington (a widely acclaimed joint venture that produces Chryseia and Post Scriptum).
The 2016 Estate Vinho Tinto displays immediate floral aromas, while resin and pine needles also stand out, giving an appealing balsamic note. In the mouth, it combines red fruits with black plums and reveals discreet wood, impeccably integrated into the wine. Powerful, structured, perfectly balanced with power and elegance.
The Vilariça Valley was formed by the parting of the Iberian tectonic plates, creating a flat basin flanked by granite escarpments. In contrast with most of the Douro, the Ataíde soil consists of loam and schist, with neutral Ph and the vineyard is drier and hotter than most of the rest of the valley. As a result, the Quinta benefits from unique conditions for viticulture and a terroir not found elsewhere in the Douro region.
The Quinta was the site of the rebirth of the now-iconic Touriga Nacional in the 1970s when Miguel Côrte-Real grafted cuttings from pre-WW2 vines. The Ataíde vineyard is fully organic. The dry growing season limits the growth of competing vegetation and reduces the risk of vine and grape damage. No herbicides are used and wild grasses are controlled with the use of handheld trimmers and tractor mowers.
As a result of these growing conditions and terrain, the Quinta do Ataíde Estate Wines are a very specific expression of a Douro DOC wine and Portugal’s indigenous grape varieties. The Quinta do Ataíde Estate Wine is produced from a Douro blend in which the Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca stand out. It is a surprisingly fresh and structured wine that reflects the Vilariça terroir and its specific climatic conditions. Aged in French oak barrels for 10-12 months.
