Quinta do Vale Meao Monte Meao Casa das Maquinas 2020

Drink it now or cellar for up to 15 years. It is recommended to decant it for half an hour.

Located in the upper Douro valley, almost on the border with Spain, Quinta do Vale Meão is a family-run winery, owned by the Olazabals who acquired it in 1998. The estate, part of the group AA Ferreira S.A. until the 1990s, was originally purchased by Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, legendary Grande Dame of the Douro, in 1877, with the plan of planting vineyards to produce high-quality wines. Today the company, which is based in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, produces both fortified and non-fortified wines from indigenous vines.

Monte Meao Casa das Maquinas is a blend of Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca. After the harvest, the grapes are foot pressed and then left to ferment for 8 days. The finished wine is aged mainly in used barrels for 16 months.

The wine has a deep ruby color and an intense and lively aromatic profile with fruity notes (especially plum, blackberry, and blueberry), and delicate woody and tobacco hints. On the palate, it has a medium-full body. It is powerful, balanced, and soft. It has smooth, well-integrated tannins and good acidity. The finish is long and persistent. Perfect with red meat and a must-try with roast lamb.