Duque de Viseu, Dão Branco
Vintage: 2022
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | DV401B22 | 6 x 75 | Natural Cork | Available |
Producer
Duque de Viseu is named after the ‘Duke of Viseu’, a title first held by Prince Henry the Navigator who initiated the Portuguese age of discovery. These modern wines are made at the Quinta dos Carvalhais winery, by the talented Beatriz Cabral de Almeida. The wines are vibrant and fruit-forward, blending estate-grown fruit from Quinta dos Carvalhais and grapes sourced from trusted growers, to showcase the Dão region's signature freshness.
The high standards of the Duque de Viseu wines are ensured by a quality-focused, sustainable approach that extends beyond the Quinta dos Carvalhais estate. They have invested heavily in the vineyards of their contract growers, many of whom they have worked with for over 20 years, and they pay a high market value for their grapes. This allows the growers to produce the top-quality fruit that make the Duque de Viseu wines such great value for money.
The white, a blend of Encruzado, Malvasia Fina, Bical and Gouveio, is fresh and textured, with notes of blossom, peach and fresh pineapple. The red blends Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro and Jaen. The varieties are vinified separately, with a proportion of the blend aged in French oak for six months. The result is a wine with lovely aromas of strawberries, raspberries and a touch of balsamic, with lively acidity and smooth tannins.
Vineyards
This wine blends fruit from the Quinta dos Carvalhais estate and grapes bought-in from carefully selected growers who follow sustainable practices. The estate vineyards are planted on poor granite soils with indigenous Dão varieties. The vines are grown at an altitude of 465-500 metres above sea level and cool nights counteract the warmth of the days, ensuring that the grapes undergo a slow ripening process and retain a fresh acidity, while accumulating concentrated varietal aromas.
Vintage
The 2022 vintage in the Dão was characterised by hot and dry conditions. Winter rains were significantly lower than usual and there was a heatwave in July with peak temperatures of 43°C. Meticulous attention to detail was required in the vineyards throughout the growing cycle to help the vines withstand the heat and drought, but the older vines with deeper root systems coped relatively well throughout. The harvest at Quinta dos Carvalhais began on 23rd August and ended on 26th September. The berries were smaller than usual, resulting in wines with great concentration of flavour, and, despite the hot and dry year, the wines still have the characteristic freshness of the Dão.
Vinification
Upon arrival at the Quinta dos Carvalhais winery, the grapes were destemmed and lightly crushed. The must underwent static decantation at low temperatures for a period of 24 hours to obtain a very clear must. The different varieties were fermented separately in stainless-steel vats at a controlled temperature of 16°C, over a period of about 20 days. Prior to blending and bottling, 25% of the final blend was aged for four months in French oak barrels, while the rest of the wine remained in stainless-steel tanks.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
This wine is lemon yellow in colour with youthful highlights. On the nose, there are intense aromas of citrus and pineapple, along with floral hints. There is a lively acidity on the palate, which carries the bright citrus flavours onto the fresh finish.
Alcohol (ABV)
12.5%