Quinta do Noval, Terroir Series, Vinhas da Marka, Douro DOC, 2019

Presentation

Terroir Series is a new wine range launched by Quinta do Noval giving the opportunity to discover specific terroirs identified as exceptional.

VINHAS DA MARKA
Some years ago, Quinta do Noval concluded an agreement with the Agrellos family for the long term lease of the vineyard of Quinta da Marka, which we had identified as having terroir of exceptional potential for making quality wines. This potential was revealed by the outstanding red wines produced in the 2019 vintage. It was so remarkable, that we have decided to release a very limited volume of Vinhas da Marka 2019 from a 1.45 hectare parcel of old vines at the heart of Marka. These old vines from 1930 are a field blend of over 30 different traditional varieties. Quinta do Noval Vinhas da Marka is a fine, profound and powerful red wine, with complex aromatics that develop in the glass, but above all harmonious, fresh, balanced and elegant.

Presentation video

The vintage

2019 was marked by a mild winter and generally dry conditions, with almost no rain from May to the end of August. While in many parts of Europe producers faced heatwaves, and although we enjoyed prolonged sunny weather, summer temperatures in the Douro were fortunately lower than usual this year, making the absence of rain easier to bear for the vines. Moreover, low humidity resulted in low disease pressure in the vineyards and beautiful healthy grapes.
Harvesting conditions were ideal, with moderate temperatures and overall dry weather. A small amount of helpful rain fell on September 21st/22nd and later between October 14th and 17th.
It was a long harvest, finishing on the 18th October after 6 weeks of picking. The diversity of varieties in this field blend usually place its picking later in the harvest.
The perfect conditions in 2019 allowed us to take our time and choose the right moment. The plot was harvested on October 3rd. The purity, complexity and character of the resulting wine reflect these ideal conditions.

Terroir

This wine is a blend of more than 30 traditional varieties from Quinta da Marka's old vines.

Winemaking

This wine is made with hand-picked grapes, manual sorting and complete destemming of the grape bunches. Selected yeasts are used to master the fermentation cycle. The fermentation is done in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature between 25°C and 27°C. Malolactic fermentation follows in stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels.

Ageing

The wine is aged in French oak barrels of 225 litres for 12 months, 80% in new barrels, 20% from barrels of one vintage.

Serving

16ºC-18ºC

Tasting

The nose is marvelously complex and seductive, aromatic and fine, revealing ripe fruit, minerality, subtle leafiness and creamy vanilla notes. It has sophistication, elegance and is refreshing at the same time. Somewhat kaleidoscopic, this complex mix of elements is a fascinating discovery in the glass. Its velvety texture, mouthwatering acidity and impeccable balance ensure the long finish.

Carlos Agrellos, Technical Director

Bottling date: June 16th 2021
Production: 2752 bottles