Pedigree is not something hard to find in Douro winemaking. This is, after all, the terroir of the great Port wine dynasties, the most highly respected red wines in the country. But the great names usually come with a hefty price tag and this 2012 Manoella, priced at €14.99 at Apolónia, stands out as one of the better-value-for-money options.
The wine is produced by Wine & Soul, a company that spans several vineyards and is responsible for labels such as Guru, one of Portugal’s best white wines, and Pintas, one of the best reds out there.
The winery was founded in 2001 by Serôdio Borges and his wife Sandra Tavares da Silva, a young winemaking couple whose backgrounds include the Niepoort winery (Serôdio) and Sandra, who was officially the first female winemaker in the Douro, was involved with one of the very top red wines, Quinta do Vale Dona Maria.
And when it comes to pedigree, both are from strong winemaking backgrounds with Serôdio being connected to the Passadouro winery and Sandra’s family estate Chocopalha producing some of the finest wines in the Lisbon coast region.
This Manoella red, made predominantly from Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca with other local varieties, has a deep purple colour with notes of fresh red berries and spices on the nose. The wine was aged for 16 months in used French oak barrels leaving no noticeable oakiness but soft rounded tannins and a clean fresh finish. Interestingly for a mid-price range, the grapes are foot-trodden.
By Patrick Stuart [email protected]
