Quinta Vila Rachel Fim Rosé (Obra) 2021

Quinta Vila Rachel works in the Douro of northern Portugal, the steep schist terraces best known for Port and increasingly for serious table wine. This rosé draws on the same Douro grapes, a blend of Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. The schist holds little water and forces the vines to root deep, concentrating the fruit, while the wide diurnal swing between hot days and cool nights off the river preserves acidity and aromatic lift. The wine is farmed naturally and made as an organic, vegan cuvee. It rests eleven months in stainless steel rather than oak, a long elevage on a cool inert surface that keeps the fruit primary, builds a little texture and sets a dry, savoury frame. Expect a pale salmon colour and a nose of red berries, cherry and red currant with a citrus lift and a herbal, saline edge. The palate is dry and fresh, the schist showing through as a stony mineral cut that carries the finish. Serve well chilled at around 8 to 10 degrees in a white wine glass.