Vale da Capucha Clima Tinto
$25.00
Out of stock
Vintage: 2015
Region: Torres Vedras, Portugal
Viticulture: Organic
Grape varieties: 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz, 30% Castelão
Vale da Capucha Clima Tinto is a delicious Portuguese red blend made from organic Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Castelão. Dark berry fruit, iron minerality, and savory spice on a medium-bodied palate.
Book: Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker
Out of stock
Save 10% when you buy six or more bottles (mix and match)
More Information
The Founding of Vale da Capucha
Pedro Marques and his brother began Vale da Capucha on family property in 2007. The estate is located within the Torres Vedras DOC, 45 minutes northwest of Lisbon. It is about 10 kilometers away from the Atlantic Ocean. The Vale da Capucha estate lies on the slopes above the family homestead. There is a vein of limestone from the Kimmeridgian era on the slope. They enjoy a very temperate Atlantic climate.
Pedro’s whole life is connected to winemaking. Throughout his childhood he worked harvest. Finally in 2003, he interned in California. It was there he decided that winemaking would be his full-time career. After traveling around Portugal and other cooler-climate wine-growing areas, he began the process of transforming the property into the Vale da Capucha Winery.
Pedro and his brother planted the whole estate, 13 hectares, with local varieties like Fernao Pires, Arinto, Gouveio, Alvarinho, Castelao, and Touriga Nacional. There were a couple of French varieties at the beginning that didn’t work as well, viognier and syrah. Pedro regrafter them both to local varieties.
The Winemaking Process at Vale da Capucha
The Vale da Capucha estate is organically certified. Pedro ferments all of his wines naturally and does not use any SO2 unless something extraordinary happens during harvest. He chooses to press white grapes directly, whole cluster. Then the pressed juice moves to stainless for fermentation. Next, a portion moves to demi-muids for élevage. Élevage usually lasts about a year. Pedro destems the red grapes. They are fermented in a variety of vessels including, cement tanks, larger oak casks, and demi-muids. All estate grapes are between 10-15 years old, with some purchased grapes from other family members in Torres Vedras where the vines are older.
