Quinta Infantado White Port

Quinta do Infantado has been owned by the Roseira family for well over a century and has long been known for bottling on the estate, rather than shipping the wine in bulk down the Douro River. The name 'Infantado' derives from 'Infante' (the Portuguese for Prince) and it was the Portuguese royal family who first built the winery in 1816, as a place where they could collect taxes in the form of grapes and wine brought to them by the local growers. João Roseira now looks after the vineyards and oversees the winemaking and his aunt, Paula, looks after the marketing of their wines.

The estate is located in Pinhão in the Cima Corgo (the Douro sub-region known for making the best Ports and dry wines) at 150 metres above sea level. All the Infantado vineyards have achieved the highest 'A' grade status and the poor schist soils impart excellent concentration and flavour to the grapes. The fruit for the Ports is grown in small vineyard plots in the Vale de Moinhos, Serra de Cotas, Serra Douro, Serra de Baixo and Castelos, while the grapes for the Douro Tinto are sourced from the high-quality, low-yielding Serra Douro and Serra de Cotas vineyards, which lie at 250 - 350 metres above sea level. Since 2010 the grapes have been trodden by mechanical lagar.

Vineyards

All the Quinta do Infantado vineyards are class A (the best in the Douro Valley). The grapes for the White Port are grown in the Serra de Cotas, Pousado and Vale de Moinhos vinyeards in Conselho and Cima Corgo subregions of the Douro. The three plots cover a total of 6 hectares of vineyards at a height of between 200-350 metres above sea level. They are planted on schistous soils.

Vinification

All the Quinta do Infantado vineyards are class A (the best in the Douro Valley). The grapes for the White Port are grown in the Serra de Cotas, Pousado and Vale de Moinhos vinyeards in Conselho and Cima Corgo subregions of the Douro. The three plots cover a total of 6 hectares of vineyards at a height of between 200-350 metres above sea level. They are planted on schistous soils.

Tasting Notes

Golden in colour, this white port is fresh with citrus fruit and peach aromas and a touch of almond nuttiness from the oak ageing. With 58g/l residual sugar, it is slightly sweet and best drunk as an aperitif.