Duas Quintas Branco 2019

Duas Quintas Branco, Ramos Pinto, Douro, Portugal, 2019   

Grapes: An unoaked blend of Rabigato, Viosinho and Arinto, hand harvested.

Since 1990, part of the Louis Roederer group, Duas Quintas of the name refers to the two Ramos Pinto Douro vineyards where the grapes for this wine are grown. The hotter Quinta de Ervamoira produces ripe rich flavoured fruit while the high altitude Quinta dos Bons Ares adds freshness and balance.

Aromas of lemons, herbs and white flowers finishing with a slight spice. A dry palate with hints of ripe golden fruit and a lemon finish.

"The 2019 Duas Quintas Branco is a blend of 50% Rabigato, 25% Viosinho and 15% Arinto, plus dollops of Gouveio and Codega for the rest. It was mostly unoaked, as only about 10% of the wine was aged in French oak (but for a small number of Austrian casks) for six months. It comes in at 13.5% alcohol. Fresh, lively and seeming nicely concentrated for the style and the level, this looks like an excellent year for this regular Branco, which is often an overachiever. It's full of flavor too, but always in a dry and serious fashion, with the fruit nicely lifted on the finish. If you like fresh whites, this is a very nice choice at a nice price. They tend to age well too, but this will be at its best when it is very fresh, now and in the first couple of years, for my taste."

89/100 points, Mark Squires, Wine Advocate, July 2020

Drink with smoked fish, dry-cured ham, mushroom risottos or roast chicken.