Description

An old estate with a long history, Quinta da Romaneira began producing port in 1872, but was not legally allowed to bottle under its own name until 1986 when DO changes gave single quintas the ability to do so. Romaneira really became of note in 2004, when the new owner, Christian Seely brought on winemaker Antonio Agrellos. The duo (behind the much-celebrated rebirth of Quinta do Noval) took over with plans to bring Romaneira “shoulder to shoulder with the Douro’s top wineries in terms of reputation and quality.” Since then, the vineyards have been overhauled, retaining the best old vines and implementing a replanting program for the rest. In 2005 a new winery was constructed—two-thirds of it underground—allowing for a state-of-the-art production facility and a naturally cool wine cellar.

Quinta da Romaneira is widely considered one of the Douro Valley’s most breathtaking estates, boasting 1,100 acres stretching along 3 kilometers on the Douro riverfront. 86 hectares are under vine, planted primarily to Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz and Tinto Cão, along with a considerable proportion of white grapes (Gouveio, Viosinho, Boal and Rabigato). They also have several hectares planted to Syrah and Petit Verdot which produce noteworthy wines with exceptional character and finesse. The vineyards are terraced on the steeply sloping hills of the property. With its many valleys and promontories, Romaneira has numerous microclimates and various southeast, southwest and southern facing slopes. Their wines are made exclusively from estate-grown fruit. Several bottlings are site-specific, and are sourced from individual parcels; while others are comprised from various sites throughout the Quinta to reflect the complexity and diversity of the vineyard as a whole. The entire estate is classified ‘A’ (the highest mark that can be obtained in the Douro), and produces a number of unfortified dry wines and vintage-style ports.

We don’t often come across a wine that is 100% Touriga Nacional as it is usually found in Portuguese red blends. The grapes for this wine were sourced from three different individual vineyard sites at Romaneira; Tomba Chapeus, Apontador and Mina—hence the name: Três Parcelas, which translates to the “three parcels”. An exceptional Touriga Nacional, that is surely greater than the sum of its individual parts. Fermented in stainless steel tanks for a period of 8 days followed by malolactic fermentation, primarily in tank, except for a small part in oak. Aged in French oak 225L barrels (38% new) for 11 months.

Dark purple/burgundy. Rich aromas of blackberry, blueberry, dark chocolate and coconut. The scent profile carries over to the palate, with layers of bramble fruit, black plum and chocolate covered cherries, with toasted marshmallow and baked coconut. The finish is long and expansive with a kiss of cinnamon, spice and finely ground tannins.