Wines such as Quinta Vale D. Maria Vinha Francisca demonstrate that the Douro is capable of producing wines of exceptional freshness, maintaining body, balance, elegance and intense aromas.
We can consider the winter of 2020 in the Douro Region as a good one, since it rained more than previous years and contributed to restoring the water levels in the soil. However, February was warmer than normal and caused an early budbreak, forcing us to make some adjustments right at the beginning of the cycle. Spring arrived very mild but brought along all the fears of the pandemic and the first confinement in Portugal. Fortunately, we were able to successfully complete all the necessary tasks in the vineyard on time. In July the climatic conditions changed, and we experienced one of the hottest Julys on record in Portugal. It was a challenge for the vines that had sunburn problems. Luckily, in mid-August the temperatures dropped and there was even some precipitation, which allowed the vine to start the final stage of maturation with some comfort. The harvest began with the whites on the 31st of August at Vinha de Martim, and the reds on the 4th of September at Vinha do Rio.
Grape origins: The Vinha da Francisca (Francisca’s Vineyard) was planted in 2004 with a variety of 5 different grapes: Sousão (50%), Rufete, Tinta Francisca, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional. Has a total of 4.5 hectares and is mainly facing South and Southeast.
Vinification and aging: All the grapes are picked by hand, carefully selected on the selecting table and de-stemmed before entering the press. All grapes are foot crushed in granite stone tanks, or lagares and then fermented for 7 to 10 days at temperatures of 22ºC to 27ºC. Foot crushing takes place every evening. The wines are pressed and then placed into new 225L French oak barrels, from different barrel makers, where malolactic fermentation takes place. The wines age for 18 months in French oak barrels. The final selection of barrels and the final blending takes place about a month before bottling.
Tasting notes: A wine with an exceptional freshness, the Quinta Vale D. Maria Vinha da Francisca 2020 stands out for its elegance. With a great depth of color, this wine seduces by the concentration of aromas of ripe red fruits, black cherry, plum and raspberry. In the mouth, its elegance and freshness announce a long and creamy finish.
