Casal Figueira Tinto

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Marta Soares, of Casal Figueira outside of Lisbon, is a winemaker and spirit of incomparable strength and resilience. Following the sudden death of her husband Antonio in 2010, Marta took the reigns of their winery as the harvest was coming into the winery from the vineyards. With no formal enological training, and as a matter of necessity with two young children and no other source of income, Marta and taught herself (with the help of some neighbors) to make wine. Now, she sees herself as a medium through which her husband can speak from the beyond – and as such, takes a completely minimal interventionist approach to her winemaking. Her wines are a raw, unmitigated picture of the terroir of the hills outside Lisbon, and a testament to her devotion to her husband’s memory and the work he left behind.

WHAT MAKES THIS WINE UNIQUE?

An intensely natural winemaking approach, with all wild yeasts, no chemical additives, and minimal sulphuring. A unique expression of Castelão, with freshness and verve and purity

GRAPE:

100% Castelão, planted to clay and sand at 200m elevation. Average vine age of 50 years.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:

Charcuterie, crudo, conservas, braised pork dishes.

VINIFICATION AND AGING:

Whole cluster fermented in stainless steel. Short, cold maceration (3 days). All indigenous wild yeast fermentation. Elevage in stainless steel with lees, no battonage or pump-overs. No chemical additives.

LOCATION, SOIL, CLIMATE:

Vineyards located in Torres Vedras, east of Lisbon. Vines planted between 1950 and 1960. This is an Atlantic climate, with temperatures averaging 68 degrees F (20 C) during the growing season, with 700mm average annual rainfall. Vineyards planted to clay and sand at 200m elevation, with organic and biodynamic viticulture.

TASTING NOTES:

Bright ruby-violet. On the nose, red berry fruit predominates, with notes of sea spray and black tea. On the palate, crunchy, snappy red fruit with a pronounced salinity, framed by a slight bitter note. Mouthwatering acidity and soft skin tannin provide lovely balance to the fruit. Drink with a slight chill.

ALCOHOL CONTENT:

13.5%

UPC CODE:

8437015799933