Quinta de Saes Touriga Nacional
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Winemaker Notes
Bright ruby-purple. Expressive, swirling aromatics of raspberry, pomegranate, rose petal, orange peel, and pepper. On the palate, bright and generous, with mouthwatering intensity to the red berry fruit. Finishes floral and salty, with a precise mineral edge. There’s a savory umami quality that overlays the whole thing, making it positively gulpable with or without food. Elegant and refined, but playful, this is a gorgeous expression of unadulterated Touriga and the Dão.
Wine Information
Dão is widely recognized as one of Portugal’s most distinctive fine-wine regions, shaped by granitic soils, mountain protection, and a temperate climate that balances continental warmth with Atlantic influence. Vineyards planted at elevations of roughly 400 to 600 meters ripen slowly, preserving natural acidity and aromatic finesse. Within this setting lies Quinta de Saes, a historic estate near Vila Nova de Tazém that forms part of Álvaro de Castro’s family properties alongside Quinta da Pellada. After inheriting the estates in 1980, Álvaro revived the family’s winemaking tradition and released the first Quinta de Saes bottling with the 1989 vintage, today working in close collaboration with his daughter Maria Castro. Quinta de Saes represents a slightly more approachable expression of the Castro family philosophy, while maintaining the same commitment to authenticity and minimal intervention. Vineyards planted on well-drained granitic soils feature traditional field blends of indigenous varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Jaen, Alfrocheiro, and Tinta Roriz. Careful vineyard management, native fermentations, and restrained oak aging allow the wines to reflect the freshness, minerality, and fine tannic structure typical of the region. The resulting reds balance elegance and accessibility with clear terroir definition, offering vibrant fruit, subtle earthy complexity, and the hallmark structural precision that defines the best wines of Dão.
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