Quinta do Infantado Rabigato Douro ’21

Portugal continues to be one of the greatest countries in which to find quality, excellent value wines. The Douro, in particular, is one of the world's most famous wine regions, with a long history of Port production. Yet the growth of the production of dry wine, a revolution of sorts, is still a relatively recent change. Like many winemaking countries, Portugal has regions, such as Douro, where industrialized and overly commercialized wines are produced. That is why it is important to support the conscientious small growers who are committed to quality first.

João Roseira is the third-generation owner and winemaker of Quinta do Infantado, one of the Douro Valley’s most important wineries, with about 46 hectares of vines. In addition to making his own excellent wines, he is a champion for all the small growers throughout the country. His historical winery is called Quinta do Infantado, and it was founded in 1816, in the Cima Corgo subregion of the Douro, which is considered the finest zone for both Port and dry wines. It was founded by the Portuguese crown heir D. Pedro IV, hence the name of the estate: Infante is Portuguese for “prince.” The Roseira family has owned it since the end of the nineteenth century.

This wine is made soley of Rabigato, from a hectare of vines planted from massale selections. The bunches are hand harvested and destemmed, and fermentation is carried out with native yeasts in steel tanks. The wine is aged on the fine lees for 11 months in steel tank. This is the first commercial vintage of the wine, with only 220 cases produced.