Quinta Vale D. Maria, located in the heart of the Douro Valley, is one of the region’s most iconic and respected properties. Known for producing exceptional wines, the Quinta has a commitment to quality and tradition that is reflected in every bottle. Although the Douro is widely recognized for its red wines and Port, white grape varieties also play a key role in the diversity and excellence of the wines produced. In this article, we explore the harvest at Quinta Vale D. Maria, with a special focus on the white grape varieties that give rise to fresh, aromatic, and complex wines, such as Vale D. Maria Vinha de Martim.
Quinta Vale D. Maria’s white grape varieties
At Quinta Vale D. Maria, the diversity of white grape varieties planted is carefully selected to make the most of the Douro’s unique terroir. What’s more, they are all part of the Old Vines category, which gives them an even more special character and requires greater attention from the viticulture team.
The main white grape varieties grown include:
– Viosinho: With vibrant acidity, and citrus and floral aromas, this variety brings freshness and elegance to the Quinta’s white wines.
– Rabigato: Valued for its ability to maintain acidity in hot climates, it produces structured wines with good ageing potential.
– Gouveio: Also known as Verdelho, it offers tropical fruit aromas and a rich texture, adding depth to the wines.
– Códega do Larinho: Contributes fruity aromas and a balanced acidity, providing harmonious and tasty wines.
The grape harvest at Quinta Vale D. Maria
The grape harvest at Quinta Vale D. Maria is a landmark event that celebrates both tradition and innovation. This year’s white grape harvest at Vinha de Martim is expected to begin in mid-August and last until September. This period is crucial, as the exact timing of the harvest directly affects the quality of the wines.
The Harvest
At Vinha de Martim, like all the vineyards at Quinta Vale D. Maria, the white grapes are harvested exclusively by hand. This approach allows for a rigorous selection of the grapes, ensuring that only the best quality fruit is used in the production of the wines. The grapes are picked in the early hours of the morning to preserve freshness and avoid oxidation.
Winemaking
After the harvest, the grapes are quickly transported to the winery, where they begin the winemaking process. This process involves several careful steps to extract the best of the white grape varieties’ aromas and flavors.
– Destemming and pressing: The grapes are destemmed and gently pressed to extract the must. This process is crucial to guaranteeing the quality of the wine, as it is possible to better control the extraction of tannins (compounds responsible for the astringency and structure of the wine – also present in the grape seeds) and color; preserve the more delicate aromas of the grapes; guarantee the quality of the must with fewer impurities and compounds that harm the final taste of the wine and, finally, to guarantee the elegance and balance of the final product, making it more refined and harmonious.
– Fermentation: The must ferments in stainless steel vats for 24 hours at controlled temperatures, which helps preserve the fruity aromas and freshness of the wines. The must is then transferred to new French oak barrels, where it ferments for 25 days at controlled temperatures.
– Ageing: Vale D. Maria Vinha de Martim aged in these barrels for 9 months, with bâttonage (an oenological technique that consists of removing the fine lees that are deposited at the bottom of the barrels. This process enriches the body and texture, increases aromatic intensity, protects against oxidation, and reduces the wine’s acidity).
Vale D. Maria Vinha de Martim Wine
The history
In 2015, the viticulture team at Quinta Vale D. Maria began to explore a unique vineyard that was more than 80 years old and in which vines were planted with more than 20 different white grape varieties. Vale D. Maria Vinha de Martim Douro white shows the unique and distinctive character of the different plots of old vines scattered throughout the Douro, conveying the true authenticity of this demarcated region.
Vertical Tasting
The first vintage of Vale D. Maria Vinha de Martim to be released onto the market was in 2017, and since then it has been released every year, ending with the current 2021 vintage.
The vertical tasting of Quinta Vale D. Maria Vinha de Martim shows impressive consistency in terms of freshness and minerality, with each vintage showing nuances that reflect the climatic conditions and the evolution of the wine over the years. The 2017 stands out for its complexity and texture, while the more recent vintages, such as 2020 and 2021, show great freshness and ageing potential.
Tasting notes
Vale D. Maria Vinha de Martim seduces with its color and aromatic character. The mix of aromas ranges from herbaceous to citrus, through to sweeter fruit, surrounded by vanilla and spicy notes awakened by fermentation and ageing in wood. On the palate, it shows more complexity with a pleasant, enveloping, and tasty freshness. This wine announces itself discreetly and then reveals a long and surprising finish, with an elegant persistence.
The harvest at Quinta Vale D. Maria is a time of celebration and hard work, reflecting the dedication to quality and tradition that defines this renowned estate. The white grape varieties play a crucial role in creating fresh, aromatic, and complex wines that capture the essence of the Douro terroir. Among the best red wines in the Douro, we find these white varietal jewels from old vines, which produce fresh, aromatic, and complex wines like the best white wines in the world, expressing the essence of the Douro terroir unusually.
