Quinta da Roêda Vintage Porto 2012

The winter prior to the 2012 harvest was considerably colder and drier than normal. Budburst occurred under very dry conditions towards the end of the third week in March, followed by very welcome rainfall in April and early May. The vineyards at the end of May showed low vigor, due to the combination of the cooler than normal spring and the extremely dry winter. The temperatures for the 2012 growing season were very balanced, with no real spikes of intense heat, with the exception of the 24th and 25th of June. The vines maintained their lower than usual vigor and the smaller bunches and berries resulted in a low yield for the year. By mid-August, the canopies covering the grapes were still incredibly luscious and in good condition, helping the grapes to continue ripening during the entire vintage, something that rarely occurs. Picking at Quinta da Roêda started on September 18th and with the exception of some rainfall on September 25, the rest of the harvest was carried out under perfect conditions.

Dense ruby black core surrounded by a purple red rim. The nose is true to the Roêda style, a luscious fruitiness combined with the resiny, musky redolence of wild herbs and gum cistus. However the year, with its typical purity and finesse, has placed this finely constituted wine at the elegant and subtle end of the Roêda spectrum. Blended with the typically jammy fruit are fresher notes of raspberry and apricot and the palate is lifted by a crisp acidity and supported by dense firm, sinewy tannins. Slightly more restrained and clearly delineated than some recent Roêda vintages, the wine nevertheless displays the seductive ripe fruitiness which is the hallmark of this great historic estate.

• Produced exclusively from fruit from the famed Quinta da Roêda
• A collectible, vintage wine that doesn’t need to age as long as a traditional vintage wine
• One of few wines that pairs perfectly with chocolate desserts