Back in 2002, when I first visited the Douro Valley, top quality
table wines from the region were in their infancy. One of my visits
was with João Roseira of Quinta do Infantado, and it was nice
to return, almost 16 years later, to visit again. The quinta is
based in Gontelho, near Pinhão in the Cima Corgo, and has some very
nice vineyards.
The
winery
Infantado are famous for being the first quinta to bottle Port wines
in the Douro region in 1979, rather than sending the wine to Vila
Nova de Gaia. Until 1986 when the laws changed, Port producers
weren't allowed to export wine that didn't go through Gaia, which
created a financial hurdle that ended up keeping small players out
of the game. So for a number of years, Infantado made Ports and sold
them domestically, before they were allowed to export. Infantado
were also among the first in the region to farm organically,
starting back in 1990.
As well as Infantado, João has also been involved in Bago de
Touriga, a negociant operation with winemaker Luis Suares Duarte:
these wines are written up separately. They began in 1998 (Luis had
already made some wines in 1996 and 1997 that were later bottled
under this label), and after the crisis they stopped in 2010,
resuming the project in 2015. The brand name is Gouvyas.
The Infantado wines are all made in lagares with wild yeasts, but
they aren't strictly natural wines, because in many years
acidification is needed. The reds are usually fully destemmed, and
these days they are worked with robotic treaders in modern stainless
steel lagares.
Modern
lagares with robotic treaders
There are trends in the world of wine, and in the Douro these have
been extreme. 'We've gone from 16.5% alcohol and Parker to thin and
10% alcohol,' jokes Joao. 'You can do this [the light, low alcohol
glou glou wines] from the Douro if you harvest in the spring!' He
says he is looking for phenolic maturity, and to get this sometimes
it is necessary to acidify. 'You can have 13% alcohol and a pH of
4,' he says, 'which is too high.' He's worked in the winery since he
was 12. Now he's 54. 2008 was the only vintage over this period
where they haven't had to acidify. '90% of the wines in the Douro
are acidified. Schist makes things hot at night.'
See a short film of Joao in the vineyard:
We visited the vineyards and toured round the winery, which is a
blend of the new and very old.
THE WINES
Quinta do Infantado Tinto Green Label 2012 Douro, Portugal This is from mixed coplantations of Touriga Nacional,
Touriga Franca and Tinto Roriz, planted in 1998. 12.5% alcohol. Very
fresh and pure with lovely black cherry and blackberry fruit. Fresh
and supple: has a bit of fleshiness together with brightness and
good acidity. 93/100
Quinta do Infantado Tinto 2015 Douro, Portugal
From Covas de Douro. Fresh pure and vivid with expressive, supple,
sweet blackberry and black cherry fruit. Has a brightness but also
some nice supple sweet fruit. Very expressive with good tannin and
acidity. I like the floral edge this wine possesses. 93/100
Roseira Douro 2011 Douro, Portugal Inspired by
Mariano Garcia's Alion, João wanted to make something more modern
and approachable. This weighs in at a heady 15.8% alcohol. Ripe,
bold, sleek and tasty, with tarry, spicy notes. This has freshness
despite the high alcohol. It's a bit tarry but it has nice fruit
character. 91/100
Quinta do Infantado Reserva 2012 Douro, Portugal 80 year old vineyard, field blend. Structured, fresh and
detailed with some nice black cherry and blackberry fruit as well as
some really grippy, peppery structure. Sweetly fruited with complex
tar and herb notes. A rich, bold wine with real intensity and
complexity. Still quite primary with potential for development.
94/100
Quinta do Infantado Ruby Reserva NV Douro, Portugal This is an organic Port made in robotic lagares, and it's
meio-seco, which means it's a bit drier than most Ports (just 50
g/litre sugar as opposed to 100-120). Vivid and complex with some
savoury, spicy notes under the bold black cherry and blackberry
fruit. Rich and tannic with lovely balance. Has some substance and
density. 92/100
Quinta do Infantado Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage Port
2013 Douro, Portugal A more serious style of LBV.
Powerful, floral and expressive with concentrated black cherry and
blackberry fruit. Really intense and vivid with lovely purity of
fruit. Structured and pretty at the same time, and quite Burgundian.
94/100
Quinta do Infantado 10 Years Old Tawny NV Douro, Portugal Savoury and a bit spicy with sweet notes of raisins and
herbs. Rich and focused with fresh, bright citrus peel characters.
Lovely and intense. 93/100
João
Roseira 
The
winery 
Part
1, Quinta do Infantado