Casa Ferreirinha 'Papa Figos' Duoro Tinto
Country: Portugal Region: Douro
Varietal: Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional
Vintage: 2019 Colour: White Style: Dry
PRODUCER
The Casa Ferreirinha reds are all characterised by great depth of flavour. They range from the unoaked, ripe and juicy ‘Esteva’ and ‘Papa Figos’, through to the oak-aged ‘Vinha Grande’ and ‘Callabriga’, which marry intense and concentrated aromas of red and black fruit with subtle spicy hints of tobacco box and cocoa. The ‘Quinta da Leda’, a blend of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinto Cão, and Tinta Roriz grown on the eponymous estate, is aged for 18 months in oak barrels, 50% of which are new. It is a wine of great complexity and elegance, with velvety tannins, a vibrant acidity and aromas of ripe blackberry and damson, cedary spicy notes and a subtle slate-like minerality. Single-varietal wines in the Douro are atypical, and the Tinta Francisca is quite a curiosity. There are only 40 hectares of this variety currently in existence, including a small plot on the Quinta do Seixo estate in the Cima Corgo. Aged for 24 months in French oak barrels, this is a unique and complex wine, boasting aromas of red berries coupled with notes of black pepper, balsamic and an earthy tertiary character.
VINEYARDS
'Papa figos' or 'fig muncher' is the nickname for the golden oriole, a migratory bird which passes through the Douro. The Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional grapes for this blend are sourced from high altitude vineyards in the Douro Superior region, with around 25% coming from the Quinta da Leda estate in the far eastern reaches of the region, close to the border with Spain. Soils are predominantly schist, which fractures vertically and allows the vine roots to delve deep to access water and nutrients to sustain them through the growing season.
VINIFICATION
Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes were gently destemmed and crushed. Maceration on the skins and fermentation at controlled temperatures took place in stainless-steel tanks with regular punch downs and pump overs. In order to preserve the bright and juicy fruit flavours of the grapes, there was no use of oak in the winemaking process and the wine remained in stainless-steel until bottling.
TASTING NOTES
Ruby red in colour with violet nuances. On the nose, the wine is bursting with aromas of juicy strawberries, blackberries and cherries. On the palate, velvety tannins give a smooth mouthfeel and a lively acidity balances the ripe fruit flavours and carries them onto the lingering finish.
