Selected awards
92+ points - Mark Squires, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Silver & 93 points - Decanter World Wine Awards
Words from the winemaker
“On the nose, it expresses complex aromas of plums, chocolate, blueberries and wet schist stone. On the mouth, it is generous, robust and with aesthetic structure, rich tannins and great balance between fruit, sugar, structure and alcohol. It is dense and deep, with fine and firm texture and long length. 2018 Vintage Savedra is fragrant, persistent and precise.” - Jorge Alves, Winemaker
Production
Year - 2018, a widely-declared classic Vintage, thanks to a long, hot and dry summer; some call this "The Vintage Of The Century."
Grapes - Tinta Pomar, Tinta da Barca, Mourisco, Tinta Amarela, Rifete, Malvasia Preta and other indigenous grape varieties from our estate's oldest (70+ year) field blended Savedra parcel.
Terroir - schist soil, Mediterranean climate (low yearly rainfall and dry, hot summers), grade A classified vineyards.
Winemaking - hand-picked, estate-grown grapes undergo pre-fermentation line-up maceration with foot-treading in traditional lagares for 3 days followed by 3 days of temperature-controlled fermentation to more slowly extract the grapes' soft tannins, complex aromas and rich colors. These characteristics are preserved while aging in minimal contact with oxygen in large 3000 liter (800 gallon) foudres before being Vintage-quality approved by the IVDP and bottled, unfiltered, within 2 years of the harvest to, ideally, age for 10+ years in bottle.
Annual Production - 1,200 bottles
Alcohol - 19.5%
Tasting
See - deep ruby, almost black, with purple highlights.
Smell - complex and very dense; black fruits (prunes, blackberries, black cherries) cloves and white pepper; elegant, balanced, and complex with wet shale and mineral freshness.
Sip - generous and robust; concentrated wild blackberry and blueberry; great balance between fruit, sugar, alcohol and structure; fine and firm tannins lightly softened by minimal aging (to become more velvety over time aging in the bottle); perfumed, persistent and precise finish.
Enjoy - now or by 2045+, cool (15°C/60°F), aerate for 2 hours and let the sediment settle before serving, on its own or in the company of dark chocolate cakes, strong cheeses, friends, family, and other Vintage Port Wine aficionados/as!
Did you know? Port wines can accompany an entire meal! Younger Vintages, LBVs, and Rubies are especially suited for richer meats, strong-flavored game, and fowl, pungent aged cheeses, or those from the blue family, and chocolate, coffee or nut desserts. With 20+ years (a Tawny, or older Vintage or LBV) the Port wine takes on softer tannins, and more elegance and pairs well with more delicate and creamy foods (even fish!) Do inquire about food pairing tips, we love sharing our kitchen and dining room Port wine adventures!