Mater-Dôme Tinto 2009

Mater-Dôme comes from Mateus Nicolau de Almeida, working the high, discreet vineyards around Mêda in the northeast of Portugal's DOC Douro. It is a field blend of Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, the classic Douro grapes. The region's schist soils force vine roots deep in search of water, concentrating the fruit, while the warm days and cool nights of the upper Douro preserve acidity and aromatic detail. This wine had an unusually long élevage: two years in barrel followed by sixteen years in concrete, a slow, near inert maturation that softens tannin and builds tertiary, savoury complexity while keeping oak in the background. With the years in bottle since 2009, the wine has moved into a mature register. The colour is garnet with a brick rim. The nose shows dried red fruit, fig, tobacco, leather and forest floor. The palate is medium to full bodied, with resolved tannin, fresh acidity and a long earthy finish. Serve at sixteen to eighteen degrees and decant. It suits roast game, lamb and mature hard cheese.