2018 QUINTA DE SAES RESERVA ESTAGIO PROLONGADO

TRY ME IF YOU LOVE: Pinot Noir

ABV: 13.0%

GRAPES: Field blend of indigenous varieties, with a small portion of Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro.

TASTING NOTES: Bright ruby-garnet. On the nose, sour cherry, rose petal, black pepper and wet stone. On the palate it's juicy and bright, with seamless integration of red cherry, raspberry and cranberry fruit with spicy black pepper. Long finish, with beautiful fresh acidity and a lick of minerality.

PAIRS WITH: Game, particularly duck or goose. Mushrooms and other umami-laden dishes will also work well.

SERVE ME: Room temperature.

Alvaro de Castro, a self-trained winemaker, is a pioneer of quality estate wine growing and leading light in the Dão region of Portugal. Inheriting vineyards in 1980, today he owns three estates in the Dão’s Serra da Estrela sub-region - Quintas de Saes, Pellada and Outeiro. Castro was joined by his daughter Maria Castro in 2000, who now oversees winemaking and the vineyards, which have been cultivated without chemicals for years. Totalling around 60ha, the vines are aged between 3 and 65 years and sit at an average altitude of 550m. The traditional grape varieties – Encruzado, Cercial, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Jaen, Alfrocheiro, Baga - are planted on granite soil with sand, clay and quartz. Terroir-driven, very pure, even Castro’s entry level wines brim with character.