Textura Pretexto Tinto '19

Located in the Dão region, Textura is a family project created in 2018 by Marcelo Araujo. He is a Brazilian gentleman who, after leaving a successful career in the investment world, decided to pursue his desire to show the greatness of Dão wines, with a focus on Serra da Estrela, the tallest inland mountain. The project now encompasses 25 hectares of vineyards, and they are planted throughout the Dão, with special emphasis in Vila Nova de Tazem and Penalva do Castelo, which are iconic, historic spots for white and red wine, respectively.

Although Textura is a very recent project, there are numerous labels coming from the winery, ranging from the general Dão appellation to single-vineyard and varietal wines. The focus with Pretexto is to showcase the style of the house and understand the terroir of Vila Nova de Tazem and Penalva do Castelo in a broader perspective.

This cuvée is a blend of traditional Dão grape varieties, such as Jaen, Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional, and Tinta Roriz, and also a blend of the two different subregions of Dão.

Half the grapes come from Penalva do Castelo, from vineyards planted in granite and clay soils, 550–620 meters above sea level; and the other half are from Vila Nova de Tazem, where the vineyards are planted in 100% granite soils, at 480–550 meters in altitude. Fermentation starts in stainless steel tanks, with 30% whole cluster, followed by a 30-day cuvaison. The juice is aged in large oak barrels for 11 months.

Because of its diversity in terms of terroir, subregions, and producer styles, it is sometimes hard to define what a traditional wine from Dão should be, but the combination of Jaen and Alfrocheiro with altitude and granitic soils, gives all the freshness, elegance, and approachability that are very characteristic of this part of Portugal. A red wine for any occasion and any time of the year!