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The Vineyard

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THE VINEYARD

Because the ‘combros’ or terraces in Vilarinho de Cotas are very old (50 – 70 years) the cost and difficulty in rebuilding is high.

Production is very low and stands in the order of 1,000/1,500 kg. per hectare
There is less sap circulating in the Old Vines due to the narrower structure of the plant, which results in very refined wines. The diversity contributes to the rich aromas and tastes/flavours.

The replanting of gaps in the vineyard makes for age differences which subsequently can at times force two harvests which produce different lots.

Maintenance of the vines is expensive due to the pruning, as well as the harvesting of the grapes which is all done manually.

However, the known fact is that small productions make for great quality.

All production is carried out under an organic system which means no herbicides are used (weed control is done mechanically) and the small amount of fertilisation we apply is done with biological and not chemical fertilisers.

Equally, the control of powdery mildew and mildew is done with natural products such as sulphur and copper, and as little as possible.

A VINHA

Caracteriza-se em Vilarinho de Cotas por serem muito antigas (50 a 70 anos) o que se justifica pela dificuldade e o custo de refazer os combros.

Tem produções baixíssimas da ordem dos 1 000/ 1 500 kgs por hectare.

As vinhas velhas produzem muito pouco (pouca seiva a circular) produzindo vinhos muito refinados. A diversidade contribui para a riqueza aromática e gustativa.

A replantação das falhas faz com que existam diferenças de idade que implicam, por vezes, vindimar duas vezes produzindo lotes diferentes.

... O granjeio tem custos elevados porque a poda, a escava (da cova da vinha), a espampa (tirar os pâmpanos chamados de “ladrões”), a empara (orientar a vinha nos arames), a esponta (cortar as varas para fazer uma sebe) e a apanha da uva são todas feitas manualmente.

Mas como se sabe pequenas produções são a maior garantia de grande qualidade. Toda a produção é feita em regime biológico, ou seja, não se usa herbicidas (o controlo das infestantes é feita mecanicamente) e a pouca adubação usada é biológica e não química.

Assim como o controlo do oídio e do míldio é feito com produtos naturais como o enxofre e o cobre.
THE WINEMAKING

Once the grapes are ripe, they are picked and placed in 20kg boxes, which have holes bored in them in case of rain. They are then taken to the winery and processed that very same day.

The first part of the process involves lying the bunches of grapes on the inspection table where between 4 and 6 people select the grapes rejecting those which are not up to standard. Depending on the year and the vineyard rejection can rise as high as 20% of the total.

An elevator then takes the grapes up to the ‘stem remover’ where they are detached from the stem which holds a high amount of tannin (these are not removed for Port Wine). A small amount of sulphur (disinfectant and antioxidant) is added. From there they are transferred through pipes to the ‘lagar’ or wine press.

... The four ‘lagares’ at the winery hold around 3,500.00 kg. of grapes each and will produce between 2,000 and 2,500 litres of wine according to the dominant varieties.

After two days, during which the evolution of the fermentation is checked twice a day, the ‘must’ is transferred to stainless steel vats where the fermentation process continues until it’s over.

Both the ‘lagares’ and the vats are equipped with a refrigerated water circuit in a chiller which guarantees that the fermentation is kept at a temperature below 30ºC . We do not use industrial yeasts. A few days before the vintage starts, we pick some grapes, destem them, foot trod them and wait for the fermentation to start spontaneously. In French it’s called ‘pied de cuve’. The fermentation starts naturally as the grapes have natural tannins.

On the day the grapes enter the ‘lagares’ in the evening, a group of 10 men foot trod the grapes in the lagar for 3 hours.

This process has two phases. The first phase involves trodding at an almost military pace in which the men stand in a line, arms linked and move forward centimetre by centimetre, crushing the grapes against the granite with their feet. This goes on for an hour and a half.

At that point, the song ‘Liberdade’ (Freedom) is sung and for the next hour and a half the group trod at will. This operation will be repeated the following evening.
AGING PROCESS

This occurs in French oak, small capacity casks or stainless steel vats, for a period of 18 months.

The second fermentation, malolactic fermentation, or in other words the transformation of malic acid (from apples) to lactic acid (from milk) occurs spontaneously and allows the wine to soften, smoothing out the tannins.

Four times a year the wine is taken out of the barrels, tasted, and analysed thereby establishing the blend according to their characteristics.
The casks have two functions, micro oxygenation to round off the tannins and tertiary aromas.

At the end of 18 months the final blend can be selected through the combination of different blends, according to the wine’s profile we wish to produce.

O ESTÁGIO

Decorre em barricas de carvalho francês de pequena capacidade (225 e 300 litros) ou em cuba de inox durante 18 meses.

A segunda fermentação, a malolática, ou seja, transformação do ácido málico (de maçã) em ácido láctico (de leite) ocorre espontaneamente e permite suavizar o vinho, amaciando os taninos.

Quatro vezes ao ano o vinho é retirado, provado e analisado definindo-se o destino dos lotes (sempre separados) conforme as suas características.
As barricas têm duas funções (micro oxigenação para arredondar os taninos) e aromas ditos terciários.

Ao fim de 15 meses começa-se a delinear o lote final pela junção de diferentes lotes conforme o tipo de vinho pretendido.