Monte Cascas Vinha das Lameiras

Description

Monte Cascas Vinha das Lameiras 2015 — a 94-year-old field blend from Vale Torto, Douro

Old-vine Douro red from a single schist plot yielding one tonne. Lagar fermentation, 24 months in French oak, cellaring to 2037.

Vale Torto lies 115 kilometres from the coast at 110 metres, in continental mountain country on pure schist. The vineyard is 94 years old, bush-trained in the traditional way, planted north-west to south-east at 9,260 vines per hectare. It gives one tonne — the whole plot, in a good year.

The blend is what was planted a century ago: traditional Douro varieties, interplanted and picked together. Hand-harvested in the third week of September. Thirty per cent partial destemming, crushing into lagar, three days of cold maceration, twelve days of fermentation with gentle foot treading twice daily, malolactic in new barrels, then 24 months in used oak. 15% alcohol.

Deep red. Blackberry on the nose with vegetal, balsamic, wood and cereal notes. The palate is complex and full-bodied, marked by pencil shavings on a firm frame.

Serve at 18 ºC. Cellaring 2017–2037. Pairs with pata negra, aged cheese such as 24-month São Jorge, game stew or cured sausage. First vintage produced: 2009.

Read more in the Journal

• Old Vines
• Hand or Machine Harvest?