Quinta dos Murcas VV47, Douro DOC

Description

Quinta dos Murcas VV47 is a premium Douro red wine, produced by Esporao at their Quinta dos Murcas estate located in the centre of the Douro. This excellent Portuguese red wine comes from the estate’s oldest vineyard, planted vertically in 1947 and is packed with mature red fruits, hints of violet, with a long, lingering finish.

Esporao Wines, Alentejo Pioneers

Esporao was founded in 1977 by José Roquette and Joaquim Bandeira. The company is best known for its Herdade de Esporao estate in the Alentejo region. Today it has expanded to produce wines outside Alentejo in the Douro (Murcas) and Vinho Verde (Quinta do Ameal) regions. They are one of the largest organic wine producers in the world and a top olive oil producer in Alentejo.

Quinta dos Murcas, Expansion into the Douro

The Quinta dos Murcas estate was founded in 1714 and is located between the towns of Régua and Pinhão in the Cima-Corgo sub-region of the Douro Valley. Today, the estate comprises some 155 hectares and is planted with dozens of the region’s native grape varieties as well as olive trees, orange trees and almond trees.

The modern history of the estate began in 1973 when Manuel Pinto de Azevedo purchased the estate and renovated and replanted the vineyards. The estate remained in his family until it was purchased by Esporao in 2008.

Quinta dos Murcas VV47 Vineyards – Vertical Planting

The grapes for this wine come from a vertical vineyard (VV) planted at altitudes between 262 and 292 metres in 1947. The vineyard has an incline of 40% and is planted on Schistous soils.

By vertical vineyard, this means that the vines are planted in rows that go up and down the slopes rather than left to right, following the contours of the slope, which is most common in the Douro. This style of planting allows for greater planting density, more balanced production and a deeper root system, which are reflected in a better expression of its terroir. This type of planting also allows for better aeration of the plant, helping to prevent some diseases such as mildew and protecting the soil from erosion.

Winemaking

• Grape varieties: Blend of Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, and Rufete
• Harvest: Grapes are hand-picked
• Processing: Grapes are de-stemmed and crushed
• Fermentation: Fermented with indigenous yeasts in granite lagares
• Treading & Pressing: Foot treading followed by pressing in an old-style vertical press
• Ageing: Aged in used French oak casks for 18 months