Classic Vintage Porto 2016
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Portugal / Douro Valley Porto
Quinta da Roêda forms the backbone of the Croft Vintage Porto, produced only in years when vineyard conditions are optimal and warrant a “declared vintage.” Wines from Quinta da Roêda are characteristically plump, full and vigorously fruity, with the hallmark aroma of the gum cistus bush—a character that informs the Croft house style. The grapes are trod by foot in granite lagares to minimize the release of harsh, bitter compounds from skins and seeds, and the wine spends two years aging in vat before bottling. Croft Vintage Porto will continue to develop in the bottle and may be cellared for decades before opening.
16 Points
JancisRobinson.com
2016 vintage
95 Points
Blue Lifestyle
2016 vintage
Harvest Note
In April and May, heavy rainfall at Croft’s Quinta da Roêda estate was welcome after a very dry 2015 and helped restore ground water reserves. As a result of the cool, wet spring conditions, the ripening season started late. The first coloring of the grapes was observed around July 11th and coincided with the onset of very hot, dry weather which continued until mid-September. During the ripening season, the weather station at Quinta da Roêda recorded 13 days with temperatures exceeding 100°F. In mid-September, a spell of rain helped accelerate and complete the ripening process. In the second half of September and well into October, the weather provided ideal harvesting conditions. Low night-time temperatures helped to extend fermentation times, a factor which contributed to the elegance and finesse of the 2016 wines and the quality of the tannins. Picking at Croft’s Quinta da Roêda started on September 17th.
Tasting Note
Intense purple ruby core with purple rim. The nose displays the ripe strawberry and blackcurrant fruitiness and notes of rock rose and eucalyptus. The palate opens with a surge of rich berry flavor and is supported by a dense mesh of close-knit tannins. Although the wine displays some of the plump character of prior vintages, the accent here is on symmetry and finesse. Exuberant fruit and heady herbal aromas are carefully modulated and the wine is classical in its proportions.
Technical Data
GRAPES: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca
APPELLATION: Douro
PH: 3.79
ACIDITY: 4.18
ABV: 20%
AGING: Aged for 2 years in large, conditioned French oak vats before bottling. Will continue to age in bottle for decades.
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 104 g/l
Unique Selling Points
- Wonderfully aromatic with a rich fruitiness and an exotic herbal character
- Pairs perfectly with chocolate and chocolate based desserts
- Made with 100% foot-trodden grapes from our own properties
- This wine will develop for decades in the bottle
“Croft is defined by an abundance of rich, plump fruit with a delicious exotic quality and a distinctive herbaceous, spicy character.”
Natasha Robertson Bridge, Chief Blender
About the Grape
Touriga Nacional
Touriga Nacional produces wine with finesse, body and warmth that is dark, concentrated, massively tannic and aromatic. It ages to show the complex aromas typically found in mature vintage port.
