Quinta do Crasto Superior Branco 2020

€ 17.60

Pale lemon white wine. A great aromatic intensity, where the lively citrus notes perfectly match the delicate floral notes of citrus blossom and a remarkable and fresh minerality. smooth start, which develops into a balanced wine with a fresh texture. Mineral notes and lively acidity, perfectly balanced and guaranteeing an excellent persistent aftertaste. Juicy and modern Portuguese that will indeed appeal to many

This white wine derives its name from the location of the vineyard where the grapes come from, namely Douro Superior (Upper Douro).

Oxoline is used for this wine, an innovative and pioneering process in Portugal. Through this system of treatment and storage of the wine in special barrels each barrel can be individually rotated for the Bâtonnage. Bâtonnage is the stirring of the fermenting must during the vinification. The yeast sediment that is located on the bottom of the vessel is thus better in contact with the wine and the fermentation will be more optimal. The result is a tasteful and rounder wine. In contrast to traditional Bâtonnage, in which the wooden wine (bâton) is stirred in the fermenting wine, the barrel remains closed so that the wine does not come into contact with oxygen. As a result, the Crasto Superior preserves its primary aromas and the natural freshness of the grape.

Food pairing

Feel free to try roasted venison or a hard goat's cheese. Also nice with fried chicken and fish mousse.

Grapes: Viosinho (60%), Verdelho (40%)

6 months in French oak barrels of which 50% new and 50% used barrels (85% French full oak barrels and 15% French oak barrels with tops in acacia)

2020 was an extremely demanding year, not only due to the global pandemic, but also the harsh weather conditions that were particularly hot and dry during the critical grape ripening period. This was the warmest winter since 2005, accompanied however, with high rainfall, especially in December, both at Quinta da Cabreira (Douro Superior) and Quinta do Crasto (Cima Corgo). March to June were also hot and rainy, leading to an early budburst, which occurred about ten days earlier than usual. This weather was particularly worrisome as it represented a risk of potential vine disease and required rigorous monitoring by the viticulture team to avoid potential infection. July and August were hot, but soil water was fortunately sufficient to ensure correct grape ripening. However, it was essential not to miss the optimal harvest time, so as to prevent grape dehydration.

The harvest started on 17 August and ended on 25 September. The yield was a lower than average with smaller bunches and smaller berries with an excellent skin-to-pulp ratio, which were, thus, highly concentrated. This Covid-19 vintage benefitted from all the professionalism and dedication of the Quinta do Crasto team and yielded white wines with excellent balance, freshness and aromatic definition and very complete reds with highly expressive fruit, seductive texture, and great persistence.

Process of Oxoline: