Herdade do Peso Revelado Tinto 2020

Deep ruby colour, this wine has appealing aromas of black cherries and black plums, with savoury hint of toast and clove and a subtle earthiness. On the palate it is full-bodied, with ripe and round tannins giving structure and an elegant acidity which carries the flavours onto the lingering finish.

After hand picking, the Alicante Bouschet, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were destemmed and gently crushed. Fermentation took place in stainless-steel tanks at controlled temperatures of 28ºC for 12 days, with regular pump overs carried out. Following malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barrels for 12 months, 10% of which were new oak. The wine was lightly fined and cold stabilised prior to being bottled.

The 2020 vintage in Vidígueira got off to a tricky start, with May rains causing some challenges with mildew and an attack of green leafhoppers in June. There was a heatwave in July which demanded very careful management of the vine canopy to avoid sunburn and regular monitoring of hydric requirements to prevent vine stress. Hot conditions continued in August, but without the cool nights typical of Vidígueira at this time of year. This accelerated the ripening and the harvest was one of the earliest on record: starting on 12th August with the white varieties and finishing on 17th September. Night harvesting ensured that the freshness of the grapes was preserved.