Teoria

Vinhas Velhas Grande Reserva 2020

The finest wine made by winemaker António: a powerful and typical Douro wine. A true field blend, a large part of the vines of which date from the 1940s. Grapevines planted in honour of his father-in-law's birth.

Glass Bordeaux glass

Grapes touriga nacional, touriga franca, sousão, tinta roriz (tempranillo), tinta barroca and 25(!) other grape varieties (field blend)

Flavours rich red fruit, tannins, deep black fruit & jam

Serve 16 - 18 degrees Celsius, decant

Appellation Ceilerós, Sabrosa, Cima Corgo, Douro, Portugal

Food beef dishes, beef stroganoff & game

Alcohol 14.50%

Winemaker António Dinis

Background Rosa and António (1974) continued their vineyard at Rosa's family home after António had been a winemaker for other vineyards and a laboratory technician at the Institute for Vinho Verde (CVRVV) for years. On their 6-hectare vineyard, they make classic wines as found in the Douro. Besides being a winemaker for himself, António is a freelancer for other vineyards and Rosa manages the B&B. The name Teoria? That's a romantic story: Rosa and António met while studying. Teoria translates as achieving a diploma.

Vineyards On the small vineyard, whose hills face south (in the direction of Pinhão), there are over 32 grape varieties. António makes his wines in the rolling landscape of the Douro Valley. Some of the vines are old, having been planted because of Rosa's father's birth in 1943. They do not work organically, but they do work without pesticides.

Harvest Manual

Vinification After harvesting, the grapes are foot-trodden in typical lagares. Alcoholic fermentation also takes place in the open vats. After this, half of the wine ages for 12 months in French oak and the other half for 12 months in American oak.

Filtering plate filter

Residual sugar 0.6 grams per litre

Acidity 5.29 grams per litre

PH value 3.69