António Madeira Tinto "Vinhas Velhas" '19

António Madeira Tinto "Vinhas Velhas" 2019 is a remarkable expression of Portugal’s Dão region, crafted from a field blend of over 20 indigenous grape varieties—including Jaen, Baga, Tinta Amarela, and others—sourced from 50- to 100-year-old vines rooted in granitic soils in the Serra da Estrela. The wine is fermented with native yeasts in open lagares or wooden vats and aged for 18 months in neutral French oak before a short rest in stainless steel. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered, reflecting a minimalist, low-intervention approach that preserves the purity of the terroir.

On the nose and palate, the 2019 "Vinhas Velhas" is vibrant and layered, offering aromas of dark plum, stone fruits, forest herbs, and floral tones, underpinned by the region’s hallmark granite minerality. Medium-bodied with refined tannins and lively acidity, it delivers a crystalline, focused structure with a persistent mineral finish. This wine balances elegance and complexity, showing beautifully now but capable of graceful aging into the 2030s. Ideal with roasted meats, game, or traditional Portuguese dishes like bacalhau, it’s a benchmark for old-vine, high-altitude Dão reds.