Ramos Pinto Lagrima Tinto
€ 23.50
This is the sweetest type of red port, it has more than 140 grams of residual sugar per liter. Fresh, lively aroma, with notes of grapes, cherries, berries and raspberries. Velvety on the palate, with silky tannins and a long finish. This red Lagrima port wine bears the image of Jesus Christ on the label and is, not only for that reason, still drunk today as a sacramental wine in some Portuguese communities.
Ramos Pinto is one of the more renowned Port houses, founded in 1880 by Adriano Ramos Pinto in the Douro Valley. The house remained a family business for a long time and has been part of the Roederer Group (the same group behind the famous Champagne house) since 1990. Ramos Pinto is best known for its somewhat lighter, more elegant style of Port; within that range, Lágrima is their sweetest and most approachable bottling. It is hugely popular in Portugal, where it is enjoyed at any time of day—not just as a dessert wine. The story behind the name "Lágrima" (Portuguese for "tear") is delightful. When you swirl such a very sweet, viscous Port in your glass, slow-moving droplets trickle down the sides—the so-called "wine tears" or "legs" seen in any viscous, high-alcohol wine, though they are particularly pronounced here due to the high sugar content. Hence the name: the wine literally "weeps" in the glass.
Lágrima is produced by halting fermentation at a very early stage (by adding grape spirit, as is standard for all Port). This leaves a significant amount of natural grape sugar—often 130 to 140 grams per liter—placing Lágrima in the sweetest category of Port, even sweeter than "Doce."
Why do both white and red (*tinto*) versions of Lágrima exist? Historically, the term Lágrima originally referred exclusively to white Port; it was a sweetness category within the white Port range (alongside, for instance, Extra Dry, Dry, Medium Dry, and Sweet). The Ramos Pinto Lágrima Branco (white) is the classic, original version: made from white grape varieties such as Códega, Malvasia Fina, and Rabigato, it is amber-gold in color and features aromas of chamomile, orange blossom, and honey. As the term gained popularity, producers (including Ramos Pinto) began using the name "Lágrima" for a sweet red port in the same style—hence the Lágrima Tinto. It is not so much that a distinct "red Lágrima tradition" existed; rather, the house (and the industry in general) extended the successful, recognizable concept—an extra-sweet, accessible port that leaves "tears" on the glass—to a red variant. This version is produced via intense skin maceration using the classic red port method, allowing the brand to offer red port enthusiasts an equally sweet, approachable entry-level port.
Food pairing
An original wine. Drink it chilled as it comes or with ice and a slice of lemon. You could also try it with tonic water or orange juice.
Grapes : Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão
A very careful selection of wines are used for the blend and are aged for an average of 3 years in oak barrels.
The terroir is spread over 40,000 hectares, the vineyards are located on both banks of the river Douro which crosses the country from east to west up to the city of Porto. The bottom consists of granite. Ramos Pinto owns four vineyards in the Douro wine region: Quintas do Bom Retiro and da Urtiga, traditional vineyards in the heart of the Douro Valley, for refinement and sophistication; Quinta dos Bons Ares, one of the most modern vineyards in the Douro Superior, for a fresh and lively note; and finally Quinta de Ervamoira, located in the Côa Valley, for structure, firmness and intense fruit. The grapes for the Ramos Pinto wines come from all these vineyards. Ramos Pinto has been part of the Roederer Group since 1990.
Alcohol content
19,5 %
Store & Serve
Serve chilled, between 6°C and 9°C. Store the bottle upright in a cool, dry and dark place.
Critics & Awards
Producer: Ramos Pinto
Blog: Lágrima
