2020 Textura ‘Pretexto’ Tinto, Dao, Portugal

Pretexto is a portuguese red wine produced with our own grapes from different vineyards in Dos region. In 2020, these grapes came 50% from Penalva do Castelo (Jaen, Alfrocheiro and Tinta Roriz) from vines at 550-620 meters above sea level in granite and clay soils, and 50% from Vila Nova de Tazem (Jaen and Touriga Nacional) from vines on 100% granite soils and at 480-550 meters of altitude. All these vineyard plots are currently being converted for organic certification. The harvest in middle of September. 2020 had a generous rainy winter with a warm February that anticipated the bud break of the vineyard. A spring marked by a few frosts ended up reducing the amount of grapes to harvest. The summer started with cool days but passed on to hot days and nights. For this reason and to guarantee fruit freshness, the harvest was anticipated by about 15 days and harvesting was accelerated. On average, the yield decreased and in general the wines have a less fruity profile, still fresh and elegant and with more mouth structure. Pretexto red 2020 was fermented in stainless steel tanks followed by 30-day cuvaison. The varieties are usually separately fermented as they have different moments of ripeness. The final blend was aged in French oak vats of 5000 L and barrels for 11 months. – Textura