Capela do Vesúvio Vintage

Reviews and awards:
98 points Wine Magazine.

Exam notes:
Capela do Vesúvio has aromas of schist dust with notes of rosemary and rockrose that particularly evoke the central valley of Vesúvio, where one of the vineyards in this blend is located – the Vinha da Escola. It is compact and full-bodied with grainy and peppery tannins and a powerful, taut structure. It possesses great intensity and freshness and a long finish with notes of tea and tobacco.

Winemaking:
The name Capela do Vesúvio is inspired by the beautiful chapel on the property and the adjacent vineyard of the same name. The Capela vineyard was one of the first to be replanted after the phylloxera plague at the end of the 19th century, and only four terraces of this original plot remain. The Capela vineyard—the first component of this plot—is composed of mixed-variety vines that are approximately 100 years old, which have been successively replanted using original cuttings to preserve their unique characteristics. The second component is the Escola vineyard, at the base of the central valley, in a sheltered spot with water accumulation, flanked by steep slopes that provide desirable shade during the scorching summer months. The third component comes from the half-century-old Touriga Franca plantings in the Vale da Teja. With well-developed roots that draw water from deep within the soil, these vines are well-adapted to the hot and dry conditions at Quinta do Vesúvio.