Vieira de Sousa Fine Tawny Port (750 ml)

The Fine Tawny Port is a wonderful delicious example of the ‘Tawny Style’ in the region, from the Vieira de Sousa estate.  The aging is done in large old vats (tonel) to encourage an oxidative environment for this deliciously nutty Port.  This is a very traditional blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa (Franca), Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz, where the hand-harvested fruit was brought into the cellar for a foot-treading press in old granite lagares.  It ferments in lagares until it reaches the desired Baumé, which is the measure of sugar that gives the potential alcohol point for Port (in this case 3.3).  It was then fortified with Brandy to keep the sugar level and fruit flavor vivid and rich, and then put into oak vats for aging for many years.  The final tawny offers a rich palate that is very balanced and elegant, with nuts and caramel notes, dates and figs, and a long expressive finish. 

Vieira de Sousa is a newly official Port house that dates back to the 18th century; as they have always farmed exceptional fruit from the Douro River region but used to sell the majority of their juice to larger estates nearby. As they have made small bits of Port for the family for over a century, the house now makes only their own Port as Luisa Vieira de Sousa Borges (the current and now operation generation of the family) completed a degree in oenology in 2008 and decided to take her family's business to a new level. In her young 30's, she is ambitious and is tackling a world of old traditional wine made by old men, by making incredible juice on her family's land. All estate fruit is used for the wines, coming from four different quintas (vineyards) at varying elevations, dispositions, and influences. In 2009 they bottled their first vintage Port from their top Quinta do Roncão Pequeno site, and the rest will now be history. In old stone lagares, they foot crush their fruit, let only the natural yeasts begin the fermentation, allow natural settling for clarification, and use incredibly delicate and quality brandy for fortification. Naturally, the final aged wines are exceptional, classic, and will be recognized as some of the greatest Ports available on the market.

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