Mouchao, Ponte Canas Alentejo 2019

Jancis Robinson
"50% Touriga Franca, 25% Touriga Nacional, 25% Syrah made in open stone lagares. Whole bunches. Foot trodden and left there for five to seven days. Malo in large oak. Racked in midwinter and left there for three years before 10 months bottle ageing. 13,213 bottles produced.
Very bright fuschia colour.This is a wine for cellaring not drinking now. Less immeiately conmmunicative than the Dom Rafael 2020 but very promising. A ric palate with real substance. Firm, fine and polished. 17.5/20 points."

Vinous Reverie Notes
Red wines are vinified in open stone troughs, known as lagares. Whole bunches, including stems, are included in the maceration process making harvest timing especially critical to find the delicate balance between sugars, acids and overall phenological maturity, as well as stalk lignification. Vineyard plots and varieties are harvested separately. The complex and characterful Touriga Franca was sourced from the 16-year-old Ponte vineyard.  The fragrant Touriga Nacional and the hearty Syrah were both sourced from the 20-year-old Adega vineyard.  Both vineyards sit on well-drained alluvial soils mixed with red Mediterranean loams.  Responsible husbandry and care in the vineyard is critical for harvesting the best fruit and sustaining our healthy bee population. Tasting Notes: Intense garnet color and aromas of black fruit, plum jam, raw tobacco leaf, mint, spices with hints of Touriga Nacional florality. Beautifully balanced and rich, possessing surprising freshness and structured, exuberant tannins that will help guarantee its longevity. Despite its considerable ageing potential, Ponte 2019 is showing beautifully now.