Quinta do Infantado 2015 Vintage Port Wine, 75 cl

The Quinta do Infantado wines and Ports are grown, made and bottled at the Quinta (Estate), located in Pinhao at an altitude of 150m above sea level in the Cima Corgo, the Douro sub-region known for making the best Ports and dry wines. This winery was established in 1816 by D. Pedro IV, the Portuguese crown heir, as a place where they could collect taxes, which were then paid in grapes or wine. This is the origin of the Quinta's name: Infantado derives from Infante, the Portuguese for Prince. The Roseira family has owned Quinta do Infantado for over a century. Joao Roseira looks after the vineyards and oversees the winemaking and his sister-in-law Paula looks after the marketing of their wines. Vineyards All the Quinta do Infantado vineyards are class A (the best in the Douro Valley). The grapes for the Vintage port are grown in the Serra Douro, Serra de Baixo and Castelo's vineyards, covering six, one and a half, and three hectares respectively. Soils here are schistous. Vintage Information The best vintage for Port in the last 20 years! July and August were marked by dry weather, and late August rain showers offered just the right relief for the vines. 2011 reaffirmed the belief that in the Douro, a vintage is created in the last three months of the grape-growing season. Harvest took place under perfect blue skies. Vinification The grapes were picked by hand and not destemmed before fermentation. Treading was by foot in the traditional lagers, a hallmark of Quinta do Infantado wines. Fermentation is longer at Infantado, producing drier wines. Fermentation was stopped by the addition of 77% wine brandy, after which the wine aged for 20 months in 100 year old wooden casks. The brandy component is only 15% in the Infantado wines, whereas the average Port is about 20%. This gives a finer, less searing finish to the wine. Tasting Notes Deep, almost opaque, ruby in colour, with black cherries, plums and dark chocolate perfumes on the nose. On the palate the wine is fresh, fruity and spicy, beautifully balanced by round, ripe tannins. The finish is medium-dry, with fine, delicate perfumes of warm, ripe fruit.