Quinta Do Monte Xisto Órbita Tinto 2023

Órbita Tinto is made by João Nicolau de Almeida, one of the Douro's most respected figures and the man who helped identify the region's best red varieties. The wine is led by Touriga Nacional, Portugal's flagship red grape, supported by other local varieties, and grown in the DOC Douro of northern Portugal. The Douro's defining feature is its schist, the hard slate soil that drains sharply and drives vines deep for water, concentrating the fruit. Steep terraced slopes and a continental climate of hot days and cold nights hold acidity and build colour and aroma. This is an organically farmed wine aged in a combination of cement and oak barrels. The cement is inert and keeps the primary fruit clean, while the oak adds slow, controlled oxygen exchange that rounds the tannin and lends a light spice. Touriga Nacional naturally gives deep colour, firm structure and floral lift. Expect a dark, dense red with a nose of black plum, blackberry and violet over pepper and dried herbs, then a full, structured palate with firm tannin, fresh acidity and a long, mineral finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant young bottles. It is built for hearty roast and grilled meats.