Wine & Soul Pintas Douro Character Tinto 2022

Drink now or cellar for up to 15 years. No need to decant before serving. Founded in 2001 by Sandra Tavares da Silva and Jorge Serodio Borges, Wine & Soul is the work of two master winemakers with a vision of making their own mark on the Portuguese wine scene. Jorge formerly worked as winemaker at Niepoort while his wife Sandra makes wine at Vale Dona Maria as well as her family’s Quinta de Chocapalha estate in Lisbon. The couple initially acquired a historic port lodge and purchased prime fruit from the Pinhão Valley until they were able to buy their own vineyard in the region in 2003. Their Pintas Character is a benchmark example of the typical Douro field blend. The grapes come from the prized Vale de Mendiz vineyard which is planted with 45 year old vines of 35 different local varieties. Once harvested the grapes are trodden by foot in stone lagares or troughs according to local tradition. The young wine is then aged in new and used French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. Dark and handsome on the nose with plenty of cassis, crushed dark berries and plums, this is a powerful, full-bodied wine which pairs well with hearty red meat dishes like beef stews, barbecued ribs or rich game dishes. It can also be cellared for another decade as it will continue to develop and evolve in the bottle.

Price: £23.30 from 8wines UK