Quinta do Tedo Fine Tawny 10 anos
Quinta do Tedo has obtained a Single Quinta classification, equivalent in Portuguese to Estate or Property. Our grapes are 100% produced on the estate and come from 15 hectares of Class 'A' grapevine, which is the highest classification of the Douro and Porto Wines Institute, comparable to France's Grand Cru.
Less than 2% of the 41,000 hectares of the Demarcated Douro Region belong to the 'A' class. This classification meets 24 criteria, including soil conditions, vineyard exposure, grape variety, planting density, and altitude.
The estate is located at the intersection of the Douro and Tedo rivers. Imposing granite stones, sculpted like those of the estates, stand out in the landscape as sentinels, placed by the Marquês de Pombal during the original demarcation of the Douro in 1756. History has it that only wine from the demarcated area of the estate was considered of the highest quality and received authorization for export.
Today, the 'A' classification of Quinta do Tedo and its location within the estate boundaries are proof of its high potential, just like its Single Quinta label.
AWARDS
90 points - Mark Suires - Robert Parker: The Wine Advocate
SILVER - International Wine Challenge
SILVER - Concours Mondial Bruxelles
PRODUCTION
Year - a blend of high-quality harvests aged an average of 10 years.
Grapes - a field blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Barroca from our estate's older vines.
Terroir - schist soil, Mediterranean climate (low, yearly rainfall and dry, hot summers), grade A classified vineyards.
Winemaking - hand-picked, estate-grown grapes undergo pre-fermentation line-up maceration with 3-4 hours per day of foot-treading in traditional lagares for 2 days followed by 2 days of temperature-controlled fermentation, by which the grapes' natural sugar is consumed and turned into alcohol by native yeasts. When the natural sugar levels decrease by half, we stop fermentation via fortification with grape brandy. The Port wine is then aged for a minimum of 6-15years in neutral, French oak, 500 liter (130 gallon) puncheons and 225 liter (60 gallon) barrels before blending with other old Tawny ports to create an average of 10 years.
Annual Production - 2,400 bottles
Alcohol - 20%
TASTING
See - brick brown with amber and orange highlights.
Smell - a very elegant and complex mix of dried fruits (walnuts, almonds, figs, peaches), anise, curry and burned caramel, with a tinge of iodine and discreet alcohol.
Sip - hazelnuts and prunes; the acidity and remaining youthful spice hold up the sweetness and alcohol perfectly and offer a voluminous but structured mouthfeel with a sweet, bitter, and persistent finish.
Enjoy - now or within 7 years, chilled (10°C/50°F), with roasted nuts (hazelnuts, almonds), savory marmalades (onion or mushroom) or spreads (foie gras, pork rillettes, chicken liver), with appetizers (bacalhau brandade stuffed gougères with romesco sauce), hard, aged cheeses (comté, parmesan) and cream-based, baked orchard fruit, or caramel desserts (crème brûlée, apple or pecan pie).
