The old vines in Vilarinho de Cotas are marked by their age (50 to 70 years), which is explained by the difficulty and cost of replanting the rubble.
Old vines are vines planted on narrow terraces, here called “combros”, supported by walls of schist stone.
Their production is limited, due to the fact that there are small amounts of sap circulating, though they produce very refined wines. Their diversity contributes to their aromatic and flavorsome richness.
However, as we know, small productions are the best guarantee of high quality. All production is carried out organically, meaning that no herbicides are used (weed control is done mechanically) and the minimal fertilization used is biological and not chemical.
When the grapes are ripe, they are picked up in 20 kg boxes, punctured in case it rains, and transported to the winery to be processed on the same day.
The first operation is to put them on the sorting table where between four and six people select the grapes, rejecting those that are not in good condition. Depending on the year and the vineyard, rejection can reach up to 20% of the total.
A “giraffe” takes them to the destemmer where they are separated from the foot of the bunch, which has a lot of tannin (Port wines are not destemmed) and passed through rubber rollers that break the grape skin. A small amount of sulphur dioxide (a disinfectant and antioxidant) is added. From there they are taken through pipes to the press.
The winery's four lagares (granite tanks) each take around 3,500 kgs of grapes and produce 2,000 to 2,500 liters of wine, depending on the dominant grape varieties.
After two days, during which the fermentation process is monitored on a bi-daily basis, the must is transferred to stainless steel vats where it finishes fermenting.
It takes place in small French oak barrels (225 and 300 liters) or in stainless steel vats for 18 months.
The second fermentation, malolactic fermentation, i.e. the transformation of malic acid (from apples) into lactic acid (from milk), takes place spontaneously and softens the wine, softening the tannins.
Four times a year, the wine is removed, tasted and analyzed, and the destination of the batches (which are always separated) is determined according to their characteristics. The barrels have two functions (micro-oxygenation and the softening of the tannins) and tertiary aromas.
After 15 months, the final blend is created by combining different batches according to the type of wine desired.
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