Quinta de Tourais - Miura Jaen 2022

Red wine.

Leathery, Focussed, Grainy.

Now this one is BANGER!

Flying in out of left field we have this absolute beaut from Quinta de Tourais.

This is a very beautiful old estate that has passed through the family to now fall into the hands of Fernando Coelho. He is now the driving force behind Quinta de Tourais and along with his partner Liliana, they are making some really unique and special wines. 

This is in the Baixa Corgo near the town of Peso de Régua. They are positioned at the bottom of the basin right next to the river with an unusually (for the Douro) low altitude of 98m. Hence, the name of the range 'No Altitude Wines'.

Over 65 years ago Fernando’s grandfather planted a beautiful old vineyard one that is still the jewel of the property. This, as is traditional, is a big mix of different varieties. Officials from the DO have listed as many as 40 but there are most likely more. These grapes are harvested together to make a special field blend they call Furia. 

At one point though Fernando wanted to plant out a new plot. And he wanted a big mix of unique varieties. Something a little different from the usual Douro selection. From the old vineyard, they took a selection of 15 different varieties which they cloned to plant out the new space. 

Now, alongside the old vines, this new vineyard has been in place for 11 years growing some really cool stuff. 

This is how varieties like Jaén and Baga, which are seldom seen in the Douro, are growing strong here and being used to make some really cool wines that definitely break the usual Douro mould. 

For this wine 90% Jaen was used with 10% Tinta Cão. The wine fermented with indigenous yeasts and very little maceration in steel tanks. Post ferment the wine spent one year in used French oak barrels. Only 600 bottles were made.

Super cool stuff!