Quinta do Crasto Altitude 430 Tinto 2019

€ 16.30

Crasto Altitude 430 is low in alcohol, as is typical of grapes grown not only at high altitudes (430 meters) but also with a northern exposure. Thus, it showcases all the freshness and elegance of the Tinta Francisca and Touriga Nacional grapes grown under these conditions. Garnet in colour, it has clean and clearly defined aromas, with red fruit notes in perfect harmony with hints of fine spices and aromatic woodlands, all of which come together with great elegance. In the mouth, it is engaging, with serious volume and exceptionally fine texture. A highly seductive wine, Crasto Altitude 430, has come to open up a new chapter in the Quinta do Crasto story and to put on display our ability to produce highly distinctive Douro wines.

Garnet in colour. The nose oers expressive notes of red fruit, perfectly balanced with delicate forest and fine spice aromas. The mouth starts in an engaging way, evolving into a wine of excellent volume and fine texture. This is a wine that embodies all the freshness and elegance that the Tinta Francisca and Touriga Nacional grapes deliver when planted at an altitude of 430 metres, with a north facing aspect. Seductive, with a fresh, elegant finish.

This wine stands out, firstly, due the typical Douro valley grapes – Tinta Francisca (70%) and Touriga Nacional (30%) blended purposely yield this particular wine profile. Tinta Francisca, when grown at altitude, is well recognized for presenting good freshness with intriguing aromas. It is light in colour but offers excellent structure. Touriga Nacional, is a very expressive variety which, at altitude, has optimal acidity and natural freshness whose red fruit aromas are fresher and lighter than those of Tourigas grown at lower altitudes. Crasto Altitude 430 also stands out due to a vinificiation process distinct from that of the rest of the Quinta do Crasto range.

Food pairing

Excellent wine with red meat, roast beef and grilled meat

Grapes: 70% Tinta Francisca; 30% Touriga Nacional

Vinha ao alto (rows of vines planted up and down the slope) and patamares (terraces) with one rows of vines. Vines are 15 years old

The harvested grapes are transported in 22 kg plastic boxes and rigorously sorted on arrival to the winery. They are then destemmed and slightly crushed, and transferred to temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks where fermentation takes place for 4 days with skin contact and very gentle extraction. The grapes are then pressed and transferred to barrels where they finish the fermentation.

After 2017 and 2018 yields significantly below the decade average, 2019 proved to be much more generous and more in line with what we are used to at Quinta do Crasto. However, it was still a challenging year, with a dry winter and spring depleting the vines' necessary soil water reserves. We found, however, that in the months of June, July and August, the vines had well-balanced and healthy canopies, without great signs of water stress. We attributed this balance to the mild temperatures from May to late August — 5ºC lower than the previous 5-year average at Quinta do Crasto. This contributed positively to a slow and well-balanced ripening of the grapes during July and August. Exceptional levels of ripeness resulted. The 2019 harvest took place very calmly, with cold nights and hot, dry days that enabled picking at the ideal moment. The rain on 21 and 22 September was essential, as it helped to refine the ripening of later varieties, namely Touriga Franca. The 2019 harvest began with the first white grapes from Quinta do Crasto arriving to the winery on 26 August and finished on 11 October when the berries from the highest altitude vineyards came in. On balance, 2019 yielded highly expressive white wines, with excellent concentration and extraordinary freshness. Our red wines also reflect the equilibrium enjoyed during the vegetative cycle. They are highly complete wines, with vibrant aromas, excellent concentration, solid structure and, above all, they are well-balanced with excellent ageing potential.

Alcoholcontent

12,5 % vol

pH: 3,59

Store & Serve

Serve at 16-18°C

Critics & Awards

Tags: Quinta do Crasto - Douro