Alves de Sousa Abandonado 2019

Domigos Alves de Sousa took over his family vineyards in 1987 with only a Degree in Civil Engineering under his belt but quickly decided that selling his fruit to many top Port Houses was not the way forward. After training in viticulture and winemaking the first wines appeared in 1992 from his family’s old vineyard of Quinta da Gaivosa. Domingos was joined by his son Tiagos in 2002 while undertaking a degree in Agricultural Engineering and a PHD in Oenology and Viticulture and is now recognised as one of the top young wine makers in Portugal.

One of the family’s top wines is the Abandonado comes from a two-hectare ‘abandoned vineyard’ which has half its vines missing. It sits at the top of a slope at 470 metres, with little or no topsoil with rock close to the surface.  The family tried to replant the gaps but gave up as the new plants kept dying.  The vineyard is a field blend of around 30 different grape varieties over 80 years of age.

Deep nose of tar, black fruits and a floral hint. Powerful structure with strong but well-ripen tannins. Notes of over ripen morello cherries and dark chocolate and graphite. Dense and complex with a very long finish