Viúva Gomes Colares Tinto 1967

Viúva Gomes Colares Tinto is a barrel-aged red from the tiny DOC Colares, on the Atlantic coast near Sintra in Portugal, made from the native Ramisco grape. The Baeta family acquired the old Almocageme winery in 1988 to age the wines of the town's cooperative, and José and his son Diogo now grow their own fruit on 2.5 hectares overlooking the ocean. Colares is unique in that its ungrafted vines are planted in deep maritime sand, which phylloxera cannot survive, so the vineyards escaped the louse that destroyed Europe's vines. The cool, windy, salt-laden Atlantic climate ripens Ramisco slowly and keeps acidity high and alcohol low. This release was bottled in 1967 and has spent its long life developing in barrel and bottle, where slow oxidative ageing builds the savoury, tertiary character of a mature wine. The colour is pale brick. The nose is delicate and earthy, with red currant, dried cherry, leather, herbs and a clear saline note from the sea air, and the palate is light and high in acid, with fine tannin and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 16 degrees and decant gently. It suits game, roast meats and aged cheese.