Douro Grafite Tinto 2019 Churchill Estate

A deep but lively and youthful colour. On the nose, distinctive ripe fruit and floral characters combining with discreet wood flavours contribute towards a fine and complex aroma. There are hints of wild sweet basil on the nose. In the mouth an elegant wine with a rich flavour and well integrated tannins to give a very long and well balanced finish to the palate. (abv 14% - 2014)

About 30% of this wine is aged for 12 months in both new and old French oak casks. It is fined and lightly filtered before bottling.

This wine is produced from grapes grown on the Company´s Cima Corgo estates, Quinta da Gricha and Quinta do Rio. The areas of vineyard or "talhoes" chosen depend on which grape varieties are most favoured by the climatic conditions of the year. This year favoured the Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca grape varieties. The grapes are picked into small boxes and brought to the winery where they undergo a careful selection process before being crushed.

Johnny Graham's verdict:

The Quinta da Gricha "terroir" once again imposes its personality on this wine, a blend of predominantly Touriga Nacional ,Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca grape varieties from our own vineyards.

Our objective has been to produce a Douro wine with a more elegant style, and I think that the Gricha influence brings a freshness of fruit to the blend which is not often found in other Douro wines."