Techsheet - A Palheira 2013 (red wine)

History has taught us that Dão belongs to those places that Man has long-recognised as exceptional for producing great wines. Despite its enormous potential to produce red and white wines, it is a region that continues to stubbornly remain out of the limelight.

António Madeira, who is French of Portuguese descent, has his roots in the foothills of Serra da Estrela. Since 2010, António Madeira has been researching, the places in this sub-region, that our ancestors elected as the best for vine, those that we might call the «Grands Crus of the Dão highlands» and found a series of old vines that are distinctive because of the authenticity of their grape varieties, the characteristics and nuances of their granite soils and sun exposures.

2013 was a year of long and good maturation. Fortunately in our case, it was achieved harvesting all the grapes in the last days before the week of heavy rain that occurred at the end of September.

A Palheira is a blend to be released only on the best years, showing the best blend of the year.

Respecting the regional tradition of blended wine, A Palheira 2013 results from the selection of the best barrels of 2013. 4 small old vines, aged between 50 and 90 years old, constribute to this blend. Together, they reach a harmonious whole that shows the best Dão Serra da Estrela has to offer.

VINIFICATION

The vinification philosophy was to respect the grapes and nature and focus on seeking the expression of the terroir of Serra da Estrela, thus, no other product was used except sulphur.

Alcoholic fermentation took place in open vats with traditional treading and began naturally, with the yeast from the vine itself, to express its identity in the purest form.

Very little extraction was sought. After pressing, the wine was placed directly into used French oak barrels, where malolactic fermentation took place until the following spring and where it aged for 18 months. Bottling took place in July 2015.

TASTING NOTES

Still very young, full of energy, showing  ability to age in bottle. Great finesse, flowers, crystal fruit, resins and minerals combine in a pure nose, unique and complex. Mouth salivating, dense and elegant, very fresh, full of energy, demanding food around. Long finish and granitic.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

PRODUCER : António Madeira          REGION : Dão – Serra da Estrela          SOIL TYPE : Granite

VINEYARDS : 4 small old vineyards          AVERAGE VINE AGE : from 50 up to 90 years old

GRAPE VARIETIES : Field blend of Jaen, Tinta Amarela , Baga (75% with these 3 varieties) and 20 other native grape varieties

ALT. FROM SEA LEVEL : 500/600 m          PRUNING METHOD : Guyot          

HARVEST PERIOD : End of September 2013          HARVEST METHOD : Hand picked

FERMENTATION : Indigenous yeasts, open vats with controlled temperature

MALOLACTIC : Used barrels         

AGEING : 18 months in used French oak barrels (225 L) and 3 months in stainless steel tanks

BOTTLED : July 2015

 ALCOHOL : 13.6%          PH    3,52          TOTAL ACIDITY (G/L)    5,91          

VOLATILE ACIDITY (G/L)    0,62

FREE SO2 AT BOTTLING (MG/L)    20          TOTAL SO2 (MG/L)    57         

RESIDUAL SUGAR (G/L)    0,7

VOLUMIC MASS (G/ML)    0,9910

PRODUCTION : 808 bottles

FOOD SUGGESTIONS : Lamb, duck, codfish.