Description Quinta de Boavista is in an idyllic location up in the mountains of the Dao region in Central Portugal. Joao Tavares da Pina uses the lightest touch when making his wines and although the vineyards are not certified organic they are managed with organic and sustainable practices. No pesticides or herbicides are used. The vineyard soils are covered with autochthonous flowers such as chamomile, clover, serradella and a wide variety of native grasses. At end of each row there is lavender which provides a natural defence against fungi and disease. The vines are surrounded by oak, pine and eucalyptus with abundant birds and insect life. Once picked the grapes were de-stemmed and spent two weeks on the skins undergoing spontaneous malolactic fermentation with wild native yeast. The wine spends 6 months in steel tanks on the lees (without battonage) and 3 years in large oak barrels The wine is unfiltered to preserve red and black fruit aromas. “Quinta da Boavista’s cooler climate delivered less heat in 2003 than in 2004, so it missed the overblown ripeness and high alcohol common elsewhere in Europe. Consequently this 60/40,Touriga/Jaen blend displays a fresh, floral mix of red and blackfruits bound up in graphite minerality. Initially tight and condensed in the mouth, with austere tannins, given a lot of it all fines out.” Paul White ‘The colour is aged and mellow, brick on the rim, with aromas of dried red berries, sweet damp earth and undergrowth truffle and briar. Served quite cool, the fruit on the palate is delicious, sweeter and riper than the nose might suggest, and firmer and more youthful too: there’s a creamy richness of black fruits, spicy tannins and cooling acidity into a long finish’. Tom Cannavan (2020) 93 points
