Carta da Fitapreta

<< Previous wine    Next wine >>

Fitapreta is António Maçanita’s estate near the ancient Roman city of Evora, located in the rolling hills of Alentejo. Since its inception in 2004, Fitapreta has pushed the boundaries of what fine winemaking can be in this region, and over the last two decades, the estate has become a benchmark for the New Portugal, earning Antonio international accolades like Winemaker of the Year, Most Unique Winemaker, and Winemaker of the Generation. Maçanita works only with indigenous varieties and showcases his estate’s terroir through exacting work: farming organically without irrigation, harvesting by hand at night, deliberate bunch sorting in the winery, and native yeast fermentation. Through his commitment to these principles, he can craft wines that represent sunny Alentejo, but which have a balance and freshness unmatched by others in the region. Maçanita finds equilibrium between tradition and modernity, and his constant exploration of vineyards has enabled him to show off a truly deep understanding of Alentejano terroir, present and past. Whether on his original estate vineyard or in his Chão dos Eremitas site, his wines always contain a through-line of elegance and purity. The broad assortment of wine styles available from Fitapreta is a testament to Antonio’s intellect, curiosity, playfulness, and rigorous attention to detail. Fitapreta has something for everyone!

WHAT MAKES THIS WINE UNIQUE?

Carta da Fitapreta stands out against commercially produced wines from Alentejo since it is composed from only the highest quality fruit from hand harvested, mature estate vineyards and vinified with minimal intervention. The three varieties are fermented separately and expertly blended for an exuberant, lifted expression of sun-drenched Alentejo.

GRAPE:

50% Aragonez (Tempranillo), 30% Touriga Nacional, 20% Alicante Bouschet

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:

This is a versatile wine with lush primary fruit that pairs well with coffee crusted prime rib of beef with roast fingerling potatoes, blue cheeses like Cambozola to Roquefort as well as aged cheese and charcuterie.

VINIFICATION AND AGING:

Hand-harvested from sustainably farmed 12-50 year old vines. Gentle gravity fed movement through winery to maintain integrity of aromatics and structure. Native yeast fermentation. Varietals vinified separately with 14 day skin contact. Aged in 50% stainless steel and 50% conditioned French Oak barrels for 10 months. Vegan.

LOCATION, SOIL, CLIMATE:

This wine comes from the Fonte Santa, João Paulo, and Vale do Cepo vineyards in the towns of Bencatel, Vimieiro and Redondo in Alentejo. Alentejo sees 3,000 hours of annual sunshine and 600mm of annual rainfall, less than 15% of which falls during the growing season. These vineyards are planted to rocky schist at 300-400m elevation.

TASTING NOTES:

Rivulets of violet compliment a deep ruby core. Floral and fruit aromatics of violets and black raspberries on the nose, with lilting notes of toast and spice. On the palate, lush and ripe, with abundant fresh black currant berries and brambleberry. The mid palate shows the minerality and a touch of smoke, with considerable length.

ALCOHOL CONTENT:

14.5%

BOTTLE WEIGHT:

1 lbs (.46 kg)