Grafite Douro Tinto 2021 Churchill's Estates

A smooth and velvety red made from classic Douro grapes, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. Ripe fruity aromas of dark plums and cherries lead onto a full-flavoured palate with deep dark fruit and spices, together with fine grained tannins and well-integrated acidity.

Churchill's say "The name Grafite acknowledges our winemakers' artistic signature in these hand-crafted wines. Grafite red is our elegant interpretation of a classic Douro red. It shows aromas of wild flowers and dark berries, with soft tannins and a hint of spice on the finish."

2021 - 13.5% abv

WINEMAKERS: John Graham and Ricardo Pinto Nunes.

WINEMAKING: The areas of vineyard or “talhões” chosen depend on which grape varieties are most favoured by the climatic conditions of the year. The grapes are hand-picked into small boxes of approx. 20 kilos and brought to the winery where they undergo a careful selection process before being crushed. The vinification takes place in small stainless steel fermentation tanks. The grapes are fully destemmed and crushed. After 4 days of cold maceration the fermentation process follows under temperature-controlled conditions. The juice is gently pumped over the skins during fermentation which is long and even ensuring good aromatic and polyphenolic extraction.

AGEING: About 30% of this wine is aged for 12 months in both new and used French oak casks; the remaining part is kept in stainless steel vats to maintain its fruity character combined with the oak complexity from the wines in casks. It is fined and lightly filtered before bottling.