Tasting notes
Light tawny colour, flavours of dry fruits and hints of citrus fruits. Medium weight in mouth, elegant, long finish. It is a classic of the style. It can be an aperitif or at the end of a meal with cheese or chocolate desserts.
Why we recommend this wine
Lighter than the more aged tawnies and often served chilled so a more approachable style of port.
The wine
Made from Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz grapes foot treaded and fermentation started in a lagar (large, open stone or concrete tank),. This is a hallmark of Quinta do Infantado and, together with the quality of the grapes, of great importance in the quality of their Ports. Fermentation is longer and Ports drier at Quinta do Infantado. The wine ages in old wood pipas with capacity between 500-600 litres.
The wine estate
Located about 4km from Pinhão, Quinta do Infantado was established in 1816 for Infante D. Pedro, future King D. Pedro IV of Portugal and D. Pedro I of Brazil. It has been in the possession of the Roseira family for over a century, that is, for six generations. The first two generations only cultivated vines. The third generation started the production of fortified wine in the early 1900s. In 1979 they started estate bottling their wines. With this innovation, Quinta do Infantado became the first estate grown and bottled Porto Wine, thus breaking the monopoly of Vila Nova de Gaia’s négociants. They farm with sustainable practices and some of their vineyards are organic.
quintadoinfantado.com
Food and wine
Pair it with desserts featuring caramel, nuts, or dried fruits or with a variety of cheeses from goats to blues. Serve slightly chilled. Refer also to our food and wine pairing guide, click here.
Did you know?
Pipas (or pipes of port as they are known in the UK) come in many sizes. The "standard" is 550 liters, but because they're handmade there's really no standard capacity – some are over 600 liters and others just under 500 liters. A pipe was usually taken to be 60 dozen, or 720 bottles. In the past wealthy individuals would sometimes order a 'pipe of Port' from their wine merchant, either for their own consumption or to 'lay down' as a gift to a young relative.