2019 Wine & Soul Quinta da Manoella Vinhas Velhas

Wine & Soul was founded in 2001 by Sandra Tavares da Silva (Quinta do Vale D. Maria and Quinta de Chocapalha) and her husband Jorge Borges (then Niepoort, now Passadouro). The name Wine & Soul was chosen because the winemakers put their heart and soul into making wines that symbolize their lives. They bought a 2 ha vineyard with very old sticks in Vale de Mendiz next to Quinta do Noval. From the first harvest, the couple have become icons of the Douro region, acclaimed nationally and internationally for the charm and character of their wines that represent the unique terroir of the Douro region. In 2009, the Quinta da Manoella couple inherited a fantastic estate with mainly very old vineyards that are oriented to the south.

The Quinta da Manoella Vinhas Velhas from Wine & Soul is made from 30 indigenous grape varieties that grow on a very old vineyard of more than 100 years old. As soon as the grapes are perfectly ripe, it is time to harvest, the grapes are selected very strictly and destemmed, after which they are crushed with their feet in the traditional way in lagares (large concrete vats). By crushing the grapes with the feet, there is as much color as possible and less rough tannins in the final wine because in this way few grape seeds are crushed that release these rough tannins. The fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks followed by no less than 20 months of aging in new (30%) and used (70%) French oak barrels.

The very complex Quinta da Manoella Vinhas Velhas displays intense aromas of black fruit, cassis and plums in the nose. In the mouth ripe, round, balanced with aromas of plum, cassis, blackberry, dark chocolate, mineral and subtle spiciness with a graceful intense aftertaste. Perfect in combination with red meat and game dishes with strong sauces and hard cheeses. 95/100 Parker