REGION: Dão – Sub-region of Terras de Senhorim – Carregal do Sal (Oliveira do Conde).
LEGAL CLASSIFICATION: Dão D.O.P.
VINEYARDS: Encruzado from Vinha Romana (2.9ha, 20 years old vines), Encruzado from the East vineyard (1ha, 33 years old vines), Cerceal-Branco and Malvasia-Fina (7.3ha, 33 years old vines).
GRAPE VARIETIES: 26% Encruzado, 74% Cerceal-Branco and Malvasia-Fina.
ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH: 13.4° GL
CLIMATE/GEOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS: The climate of Dão is moderate continental, clearly marked by the mountain ranges that surround it and protect it from the Atlantic influence. Average annual temperature: 14°C – 16°C, average summer temperature: 18°C – 20°C, maximum daily temperature range in summer: 20°C. Domínio do Açor enjoys the freshness and continentality of the Dão, but at the same time its mesoclimate is drier and less marginal than in Serra da Estrela. The grapes ripen slowly and with immense balance between sugars and acids, and a high concentration of aromatic precursors.
SOIL: Granite. Very well mixed between soil and rocks, more precisely between the silt typical of granitic soils, with alterites or rocks degraded by the chemical and physical processes of weathering, as well as quartz and the mother-rock granite. Level 4 / 5 alterite predominates in all the vineyards of Domínio do Açor.
TERROIR CONSULTANT: Pedro Parra.
VITICULTURE: In conversion to organic and biodynamic in some plots.
WINEMAKING: Total destemming with crushing of the grapes in a pneumatic press, cold maceration and cold decantation for 24 hours followed by fermentation with indigenous yeasts in barrels for part of the Encruzado (20%) and stainless steel (80%) at a temperature of about 16ºC. Ageing on the fine lees for 11 months. Complete malolactic fermentation. Low addition of sulphites before bottling (64mg/l of total sulphur dioxide). Natural decantation and light filtration.
WINEMAKER: Luís Lopes VITICULTURIST: João Costa
ÉLEVAGE: 11 months in barriques for 20% of the final blend (01 new 500L barrel and 01 used 225L barrel from 2014, French oak).
AGING POTENTIAL: 10 years.
ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS: Intense lemon colour. Complex on the nose, with orchard fruit, citrus, tonic herbs, toasted nuts and a very sublte and refined boisé. Tense and savoury in the mouth, with beautiful structure, freshness and minerality. Persistent and complex finish.
ENOGASTRONOMIC GUIDELINES: Grilled turbot, octopus rice, baked rabbit, crab stew, buttered cheese from Serra da Estrela.
SERVING TEMPERATURE: 10-12°C
REGION: Dão – Sub-region of Terras de Senhorim – Carregal do Sal (Oliveira do Conde).
LEGAL CLASSIFICATION: Dão D.O.P.
VINEYARDS: Encruzado from Vinha Romana 30% (2,5ha total, 19 years old vines), Encruzado from Vinha da Fonte Velha 26% (1,43ha total, 34 years old vines), Cerceal-Branco e Malvasia-Fina from Vinha da Fonte Velha (1,43ha total, 34 years old vines).
GRAPE VARIETIES: 56% Encruzado, 44% Cerceal-Branco e Malvasia-Fina.
ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH: 13° GL
CLIMATE/GEOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS: The climate of Dão is moderate continental, clearly marked by the mountain ranges that surround it and protect it from the Atlantic influence. Average annual temperature: 14°C – 16°C, average summer temperature: 18°C – 20°C, maximum daily temperature range in summer: 20°C. Domínio do Açor enjoys the freshness and continentality of the Dão, but at the same time its mesoclimate is drier and less marginal than in Serra da Estrela. The grapes ripen slowly and with immense balance between sugars and acids, and a high concentration of aromatic precursors.
SOIL: Granite. Very well mixed between soil and rocks, more precisely between the silt typical of granitic soils, with alterites or rocks degraded by the chemical and physical processes of weathering, as well as quartz and the mother-rock granite. Level 4 / 5 alterite predominates in all the vineyards of Domínio do Açor.
TERROIR CONSULTANT: Pedro Parra.
VITICULTURE: Organic (in process of certification), pruning and canopy management consultancy by Marco Simonit.
WINEMAKING: Total destemming and crushing in a pneumatic press, followed by natural decanting and spontaneous fermentation in cement eggs, stainless steel and barrels, at a temperature of 18-22ºC. Complete malolactic fermentation. Ageing in the different vats on the fine lees for 11 months in a reductive environment. Racking and kept in stainless steel for 6 months until bottling (76mg/l total sulphur dioxide). Natural decantation, the wine has not been clarified or filtered and may have a deposit.
WINEMAKER: Luís Lopes VITICULTURIST: João Costa
ÉLEVAGE: 11 months. 30% Encruzado from Vinha Romana in new barriques (1 French oak 400 L, 1 Austrian/German oak 500 L), 20% Encruzado from Vinha da Fonte Velha in cement eggs and 6% em in new barriques, 44% Malvasia-Fina and Cerceal-Branco from Vinha da Fonte Velha in stainless steel. More 6 months in stainless steel for the final blend.
AGING POTENTIAL: 10 years.
ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS: Intense lemon colour. Complex on the nose, with orchard fruit, citrus, tonic herbs, toasted nuts and a very subtle and refined boisé. Tense and savoury in the mouth, with beautiful structure, freshness and minerality. Persistent and complex finish.
ENOGASTRONOMIC GUIDELINES: Grilled turbot, octopus rice, baked rabbit, crab stew, cheese from Serra da Estrela.
SERVING TEMPERATURE: 10-12°C