Pintas, D.O.C. Douro
Pintas is the pet project of Sandra Tavares, head winemaker for Cristiano van Zeller's delightful Quinta do Vale Dona Maria Douro project. Working with her husband Jorge, Pintas is their own property and named after her dog, called 'Pintas' ("Spots" in Portuguese … a giant black and white spotted hound).
The Pintas Douro is their high concept wine, with 'Character' as the second wine with lower work levels, in much the same way as Peter Sisseck names Pingus and Flor de Pingus.
| Wine | Region | RRP | Qty | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Douro |
$100.00 |
6 |
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'Character' is from 40 year old vines in the Cima Corga, foot trodden in lagares. There's no fat, no flab, just a jolt of smokey-sooty and tangy purply fruits, trimmed with hung meat, briar and spice. Oak contributes a little coffee ground and black bean but no sweety-toasty stuff. The riot is leavened at finish with bright acid, and a briary/green tobacco spiciness further cuts things. |
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Douro |
$185.00 |
6 |
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Pintas itself is from 70 year old vines and while it's full of impact, ultimately it's super-mild, long and quite possibly profound. Deep and dark purple-to-black with briary meat, ashy Douro terroir, violets, a touch of panforte and tobacco-green spice again at end. The oak is fine, deep and ver'French; there's plenty of it, but it is absolutely all in the wine and very good indeed. |
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