Monte da Penha Grande Reserva Tinto

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Monte da Penha is a family property made up of 300 acres (122 ha), of which 54 are vineyards. Located near Portalegre, the capital of North Alentejo, it was bought by Francisco Fino and his wife Verónica in 1984. This family has been involved in the production of high-quality wines since the beginning of the 20th Century when Joaquim da Cruz Baptista founded the wine "Tapada do Chaves". The success achieved by Joaquim inspired his only daughter, Gertrudes Baptista Fino, to continue his legacy in a passionate way, taking this project even further and becoming well-known for her dedication to the wine business. In 1984, Francisco Fino, son of Gertrudes, her companion in the wine business, decides to plant 29 acres (12 ha) of vineyard on his own property. These vines contributed to the making of the red and white “Tapada do Chaves” wines. With the sale of “Tapada do Chaves” in 1998, Francisco Fino decides to start a new family project and this is how “Monte da Penha” was born. Their philosophy is to show the “terroir” through its wines; the altitude, microclimate and the unique characteristics of the Portalegre sub-region that contribute to the quality and distinction of the wines. These are wines with excellent freshness, structure, elegance and with great aging potential. They are one of the very few wineries in Portugal that allows its wines serious time to mature before releasing each vintage onto the market.

WHAT MAKES THIS WINE UNIQUE?

This wine shows the aging potential of the Monte da Penha wines.

GRAPE:

A blend of 50% Alicante Bouschet, 25% Aragonês and 25% Trincadeira planted in a 22-ha (54 acres) vineyard – 12 ha (29 acres) planted in 1987 and 10 ha (25 acres) in 2000.

VINIFICATION AND AGING:

Grapes are destemmed. Fermentation happens in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature (28ºC). Skin maceration of 22 days after fermentation. Aged for at least 12 months in 1 year-old, French oak barrels, followed by aging in bottle.

LOCATION, SOIL, CLIMATE:

The wines of Monte da Penha come from the region of Portalegre which is situated in the northern part of the Alentejo DOC. This is a very distinct area, as it is the transition from the valley to the mountains. The unique microclimate of the mountain “Serra de São Mamede”, with its rainy, humid winters and hot temperatures in the summer, create exceptional conditions for the vines and give singular characteristics to the wines. The vineyards are at an altitude of 1,300-1,800 ft. (400 - 550 meters) above sea level. The soils are a mixture of granite, limestone, clay and some slate.

TASTING NOTES:

Ruby red color; on the nose it has freshness, complex oak and spice notes. On the mouth, bright acidity, the fruit is well present, intense and long finish.

ALCOHOL CONTENT:

14%

UPC CODE:

5607683000157