Mary Taylor Felipe Ferreira Douro Red 2019

Notes from Mary Taylor:

Quinta da Foz is a 20 hectare property located at the junction of the Douro River and its tributary, the Pinhão, in the Cima Corgo subregion. Here, in the center of the Douro Valley, steep terraces are cut into the schist riverbanks, where vine roots seek out the pockets of moisture in the foliated sheets of schist, bringing a great minerality to the final wine. As you pull into the iconic train station at Pinhão, you’ll notice the beautiful hand-painted blue tiles (azulejos) depicting the grape harvest.

Quinta da Foz is just over the Pinhão River from the station. The Calém family acquired it in 1872, and today Filipe Ferreira is in charge of winemaking. Everything is hand harvested. All of the wines are foot pressed in large granite lagares.

This blend brings together the aromatic intensity of Touriga Nacional, sophisticated delicacy of Tinta Roriz (better known in Spain as Tempranillo), and the structure and elegance of Touriga Franca. Fresh red fruits on the nose persist through the palate, announcing a young, energetic wine with swirling, well-integrated tannins and a lovely, long finish.

2019: A cold, dry winter. In the spring, except for the month of April, rainfall was lower than usual, and temperatures were mild, which provided good conditions for early growth. Summer temperatures were also mild, with the odd spell of rain and no peaks of temperature. This made for a long, balanced ripening period and ensured wines of top quality.