Domaine: Quinta do Alqueve Vintage: 2005 Producer: Paulo Saturnino Cunha http://www.pinhaldatorre.com Variety:
100% Fernão Pires Country: Portugal Region: Ribatejo
Background
Paulo Saturnino Cunha is the owner of the Quinta do Alqueve, a terrific property in the Ribatejo region of Portugal, approximately 40 miles north of Lisbon. He has worked hard to transform his family’s farm of many generations – planting nearly 140 acres of tightly spaced vineyards 20 years ago in the sandy, dry calcaire soil. Paulo decided to use grape varieties that originate from the region of Porto, including Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, which is better known as Tempranillo in Spain. These wines are made very carefully - starting in the vineyards. Yields are severely controlled, crop-thinning is done twice each season, and all the fruit is picked by hand and hand-sorted before vinification.
Tardia, as in “tardive”, means late harvest and this offering is made from 100% barrel-fermented Fernão Pires which is an ancient Mediterranean grape varietal produced in the Ribetajo region. The delicious dessert wine offers ultra ripe tropical notes of pineapple and creamy coconut intermingled with spice and vanilla.
