Le Sommelier presents one of Portugal’s top rated wines in the Classics release…
Portugal’s historic Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, known by Quinta Nova, has a storied heritage of more than 250 years in the heart of the Douro Valley. The property originally belonged to the Portuguese Royal House, identified back in 1725 as the first owner of this spectacular terraced site in Pinhão. Since 1999, the property has been owned by the Amorim family, with the fourth generation overseeing the care of the vineyards and winemaking.
The estate covers 120 hectares along the mighty Douro river in the Cima Corgo, running 1.5 km along the right bank. They sustainably farm 85 hectares of A grade vines, contouring down the steep schist slopes from 300m altitude to the river.
The winery has produced some Portugal’s most highly acclaimed wines, with several recent wines scoring in the high 90s from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, and the 2016 vintage of Referência receiving 95-97 points from Wine Advocate (review below).
Shaun and I met with the Quinta Nova team at ProWein this spring, and were impressed, as ever, with the freshness and complexity of the wines, and the vision of the family and winery team. I hope you enjoy this expressive and masterful wine as much as we do.
If you have any inquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Cheers,
Le Sommelier
416.603.7026
bernard@lesommelier.com
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Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo Grande Reserva Referência 2016
This complex and age-worthy Grande Reserva Referência blends 25% old vine field blend into 75% old vine Tinta Roriz, all coming from the Cima Corgo’s schistous soils. This was fermented and aged in new French oak for 16 months, followed by an additional 6 months in bottle prior to release.
“The 2016 Grande Reserva Referência is the Tinta Roriz-dominated blend, the last 25% being a field blend from old vines. It was aged for 15 months in 30% used French oak and comes in at 14% alcohol. Not quite bottled when seen, this shows off its typical power, the slight rusticity of this bottling. Intense, tight, astringent and filled with flavor as well, this very focused Grande Reserva is potentially brilliant. It is not as sensual as the Touriga Nacional-dominated Grande Reserva this issue (there is no Mirabilis this year), but it is both deeper and more powerful. They are both super, but I’d pick this one as the best of their 2016 reds. They are both admittedly at a very early stage. We’ll have fun comparing them over the next decade or two. Give this a couple of years, at least, in the cellar to smooth out the rough edges.” – 95-97 points, Mark Squires, Wine Advocate, August 2018
Grape(s): Tinta Roriz, old vine field blend
Region: DOC Douro, Portugal
Price: $110.00 (per 750mL bottle)
LCBO#: 331934
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