2021 Tiara Branco

The white 2021 Tiara, the only white wine from granite soils in a specific (two) place in Douro, was produced with a blend of Rabigato (over 50%), Códega de Larinho, Donzelinho, Cercial and others (perhaps some Alvarinho too) from very old vines at 600 meters in altitude. It has only 11.6% alcohol, a pH of 3.19 and 5.9 grams of acidity. It has a faintly reductive character, with minerality (the salty character of the granite) and sharpness and is straight, with the upfront feeling from the granite soils, tasty and vertical. This takes time to develop in bottle and ages quite slowly. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in foudre (1,300- to 2,500-liter ones) with full malolactic and was kept with the lees for one year. 12,600 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2023. This style started in 2012; previously, it was all stainless steel and with no malolactic, trying to make a Riesling with Douro grapes.