SYMINGTON FAMILY ESTATES Quinta da Fonte Souto Alfrocheiro 2019
- SKU:
- 3967718
- UPC:
- 5608309013636
Harvey Nichols loves everything about Quinta da Fonte Souto, so we get very excited when they release a brand-new wine. Introducing their Alfrocheiro 2019.
Alfrocheiro is a deep-coloured grape variety favoured in Alentejo and Dão. It only makes up 3% of all the vineyards in Portugal, so seeing a single-varietal version like this is extremely rare. The wines this exciting grape produces are always unique, with a wonderful balance of alcohol, tannin and elegance.
Quinta da Fonte Souto Alfrocheiro comes from low-yielding vines grown in two of their highest planted vineyards. This means big concentration of flavour combined with an irresistible freshness. Despite it only being the third vintage since the Symington family took over this estate on the slopes of the São Mamede Range, the wine already tastes like an Alentejo classic.
Matured in French oak for 11 months, this vegan-friendly red pours a dark colour with flashes of crimson. On the first sniff, you’ll encounter the mountain freshness of the vineyards, accompanied by granite, flint and graphite. Then comes a little blueberry, gently unfurling into wild strawberry. On the palate, it’s much darker, displaying notes of black plum, dark chocolate, liquorice, rosemary, pine needle and pepper. Substantial and silky, it feels like a Portuguese take on Northern Rhône, and like the fine wines of that French region, it will continue to improve with a little bottle age. So, if you can resist opening it now, slip it into the cellar and come back to it in 2025.
The Symington family have been making wines in Portugal since the 19th Century. They’re the world’s leading producer of premium Port and the biggest vineyard owner in the Douro Valley – a UNESCO World Heritage Site of jaw-dropping beauty. As the producers of Graham’s, Dow’s, Cockburn’s, Warre’s and Quinta do Vesuvio, they’re obviously most famous for their Ports, but they are now starting to branch out into wider Portugal. Their new project Quinta da Fonte Souto is their first outside of the Douro in 135 years and five generations, and the debut release stunned the wine buyers at Harvey Nichols. You’ll find it located within a natural park at altitude in the exciting Portalegre sub-region of Alentejo. The name, Fonte Souto, is a reference to the natural springs that feed water to the area and the abundance of chestnut groves, but the bucolic estate also contains vineyards, forests, cork oaks, cherry orchards and olive trees. Judging by the first releases, this is a hot property to watch with Wine Advocate saying: “This project looks likely to be a fine success.”
SKU No.: 3967718
Style No.: 930501
Region: Alentejo
Grapes: Alfrocheiro Preto
Closure: Cork
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 14.5%
Volume: 750ml
Allergens: Sulphites
Harvey Nichols loves everything about Quinta da Fonte Souto, so we get very excited when they release a brand-new wine. Introducing their Alfrocheiro 2019.
Alfrocheiro is a deep-coloured grape variety favoured in Alentejo and Dão. It only makes up 3% of all the vineyards in Portugal, so seeing a single-varietal version like this is extremely rare. The wines this exciting grape produces are always unique, with a wonderful balance of alcohol, tannin and elegance.
Quinta da Fonte Souto Alfrocheiro comes from low-yielding vines grown in two of their highest planted vineyards. This means big concentration of flavour combined with an irresistible freshness. Despite it only being the third vintage since the Symington family took over this estate on the slopes of the São Mamede Range, the wine already tastes like an Alentejo classic.
Matured in French oak for 11 months, this vegan-friendly red pours a dark colour with flashes of crimson. On the first sniff, you’ll encounter the mountain freshness of the vineyards, accompanied by granite, flint and graphite. Then comes a little blueberry, gently unfurling into wild strawberry. On the palate, it’s much darker, displaying notes of black plum, dark chocolate, liquorice, rosemary, pine needle and pepper. Substantial and silky, it feels like a Portuguese take on Northern Rhône, and like the fine wines of that French region, it will continue to improve with a little bottle age. So, if you can resist opening it now, slip it into the cellar and come back to it in 2025.
The Symington family have been making wines in Portugal since the 19th Century. They’re the world’s leading producer of premium Port and the biggest vineyard owner in the Douro Valley – a UNESCO World Heritage Site of jaw-dropping beauty. As the producers of Graham’s, Dow’s, Cockburn’s, Warre’s and Quinta do Vesuvio, they’re obviously most famous for their Ports, but they are now starting to branch out into wider Portugal. Their new project Quinta da Fonte Souto is their first outside of the Douro in 135 years and five generations, and the debut release stunned the wine buyers at Harvey Nichols. You’ll find it located within a natural park at altitude in the exciting Portalegre sub-region of Alentejo. The name, Fonte Souto, is a reference to the natural springs that feed water to the area and the abundance of chestnut groves, but the bucolic estate also contains vineyards, forests, cork oaks, cherry orchards and olive trees. Judging by the first releases, this is a hot property to watch with Wine Advocate saying: “This project looks likely to be a fine success.”
SKU No.: 3967718
Style No.: 930501