Alves de Sousa Reserva Pessoal Tinto 2015
€ 124.00
| Producer | Alves de Sousa |
| Region | Douro |
| Grapes | Tinta Amarela, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Touriga Nacional |
| Ageing | 15 months in new French oak, at least 12 months in bottle |
| Alcohol | 14.5%vol |
| Serving | 16-18°C |
| Drinking window | Up to 15 years after the harvest |
| Scores | 92/100 Falstaff |
Reserva Pessoal: the house’s rarest wine, from the best grapes of Gaivosa’s old vineyards.
Tasting note
Ruby. An intense, complex nose of wild fruit and berries. Clearly present yet well-integrated tannins, without harshness. A very elegant, long finish and great ageing potential.
The story
A wine for lovers of classic, mature reds: Rioja fans will find it a real discovery.
Reserva Pessoal is made only from the best grapes of Quinta da Gaivosa’s old vineyards. The wine spent 15 months in top-quality new French oak barrels, then at least 12 months in bottle.
Quinta da Gaivosa lies in the Baixo Corgo, on the right bank of the Corgo, not far from Vila Real. It is the family’s home base, with old vineyards where dozens of varieties grow together. The winery, designed by architect Belém Lima, has won several architecture and wine tourism awards.
Food pairing
Excellent with hearty, spiced dishes of grilled or roast red meat, lamb and game. Also a wine to end a meal with.
The producer
Winemaking is a family tradition for Domingos Alves de Sousa: his father Edmundo and his grandfather Domingos were already Douro winegrowers. Trained as a civil engineer, in 1987 he devoted himself fully to the quintas he had inherited. For years he supplied grapes to big houses such as Casa Ferreirinha and Borges. After the crisis of the late 1980s and the disastrous 1988 harvest, he decided to make and bottle his own wine. He built a winery at Quinta da Gaivosa and in 1992 released his first wine, the Quinta do Vale da Raposa Branco 1991.
Revista de Vinhos named him Producer of the Year in 1999 and 2006: he was the first ever to win the title twice. Since 2002 his son Tiago, who holds a doctorate in viticulture, has been the winemaker. The family uses only grapes from its own six quintas: Gaivosa, Vale da Raposa, Caldas, Estação, Aveleira and Oliveirinha.
Critics & Awards
92/100 Falstaff | Tasted: Aug 2022
Dark ruby with violet tints. Fresh black forest fruit, blackberry, liquorice and fine wood spice. Salty texture, red fruit, mineral finish: a sturdy food wine.
Dark ruby with violet tints. Fresh black forest fruit, blackberry, liquorice and fine wood spice. Salty texture, red fruit, mineral finish: a sturdy food wine.
Reviews
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