1996 Vintage

Parcels of vines situated on the steep slopes of the River Pinhão at an altitude of 150-400m, with poor, stony schistose soil; low yielding vines with grapes of high concentration and quality.

Very dry year. Cold winter. Good blossoming. Very hot summer. One of the earliest of all harvests. Low levels of production but of good quality, delicate and elegant wines returning a great concentration of aromas.

Fresh grapes and at their ideal ripeness are picked by hand into 20 kg boxes. Following the removal of the stalk and smooth crushing, the grapes were placed in a stainless steel cube for 5 days of pellicular maceration, fermenting for five days, with three daily delestage processes before continuing to macerate following fortification for a further three days. This resulted in an excellent wine extract. Then aged in old French balseiros (vats). Blending was done in March 1999.

Oenologist Luís Leocádio