Luis Seabra - Xisto Ilimitado - Red 2019
Luis Seabra Vinhos is located in Douro and Dão, Portugal . Luis Seabra made a name for himself as a winemaker for Niepoort, before starting his own project in 2013 after deciding he no longer wanted to make wines to someone else's tastes and specifications. Most of the vineyards are located between the southern part of the Douro Superior in the east of the Douro near the Spanish border and the Cima Corgo in the heart of the Douro. The Cima Corgo is a subregion that experiences extreme diurnal change. The vines are very old, some over 100 years old and the soil is mostly schistose (xisto). The vinification is low intervention , with natural yeast ferments.
Xisto Ilimitado is a blend of Rufete, Touriga Franca, Malvasia Preta, Alicante Bouschet and Donzelinho Rouge . The grapes come from two Cima Corgo vineyards, one in Covas do Douro (400 meters above sea level) and the other in Ervedosa do Douro (570 meters above sea level), both over 80 years old . The two vineyards were harvested separately. The grapes were vinified in open vats made of old Porto wood , with 60% whole harvest. Total maceration lasted 29 days. The wine from the Covas do Douro vineyard was aged in 350 liter barrels and in 228 liter barrels for the wine coming from Ervedosa. The malolactic fermentation took place in barrels, in contact with the lees until August. The total aging period lasted 18 months .
Grapes: Rufete, Touriga Franca, Malvasia Preta, Alicante Bouschet, Donzelinho Red