FitaPreta Vinhos Tinto de Castelao 2020
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Robert
Parker
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
This wine makes an excellent pairing with pork and bean soup, grilled chicken thighs and mushroom risotto.
Blend: 100% Castelao
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Tinto de Castelão was aged for 18 months in neutral wood and comes in at 13.5% alcohol. A wonderfully fresh version of this grape, this is silky and lively. It adds what you would expect from this grape: flavor and aromatics. The raspberries and strawberries lace the finish. There is only average depth and some structure, but this is about hedonism and fruit. It develops beautifully in the glass and evolves steadily. Structure is not its biggest point, but there is some. Overall, this won't be the most profound wine ever, but it will be an irresistible delight.
Fitapreta is the culmination of a partnership between a young, dynamic Portuguese winemaker and a British-born viticulturist, dedicated to a new examination of terroir in the Alentejo. The winemaker Antonio Macanita returned home to his native Portugal after winemaking stints in Napa, Australia and France, most notably Ch. Lynch Bages. David Booth, the viticulturist, was already well established in Portugal when they began work together in 2004. Fitapreta operates on the Portuguese idea of “Palpite” or intuition when it comes to their viticulture and winemaking. With this trust of the land and the natural growth process of the vineyard, Antonio Macanita is able to make wines that are imbued with a singular sense of place. This winery operates on a strictly gravity-fed basis to avoid any harsh treatment of the must. All wines are spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts. Small parcels of each vineyard are fermented separately to preserve distinct stylistic qualities. These are then blended to achieve a layered, complete picture of the terroir.
The Alentejo is a large region in southeastern central Portugal, which is one of the agricultural centers of the country. The climate is Atlantic-Mediterranean, with significant diurnal-nocturnal temperature differences. This temperature range produces fruit with a natural combination of maturity and freshness. The 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.
Popular among producers because of its adaptability and hardiness, Castelão actually reaches its fullest expression on the arid and sandy vineyards of the southern coast of Portugal where old and low-yielding vines produce full-bodied, wild and rustic reds. It is also grown in central Portugal and in the Douro, where it is permitted for Port production. Somm Secret—Castelão goes by the colloquial name, periquita (parakeet) in Setúbal. The name comes from the Cova de Periquita vineyard planted by José Maria da Fonseca.
Responsible for a majority of Portugal’s fine wine production—and over half of the world’s cork production—Alentejo represents a major force in Portugal’s wine industry. This southern Portugese region is characterized by stretches of rolling plains and vineyards dotted with majestic cork oaks. Access to land enables the farmers of Alentejo to produce wines in great economies of scale, without compromising quality, compared to those regions to the north. The region of Alentejo indeed covers a third of the country.
Its classified (DOP) wines must come from one of eight subregions, where elevations are a bit higher, air cooler and less fertile soils are perfect for vines. The optimal regions are Portalegre, Borba, Redondo, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Granja-Amareleja, Vidigueira, Evora and Moura. Alentejo is not without the conveniences of modern winemaking as well. Irrigation supplements low rainfall and temperature control in the winery assures high quality wines.
The potential of the area has attracted many producers and its wine production continues to grow. Alentejo’s charming, fruit-forward wines have naturally led to local and global popularity.
White wines tend to be blends of Antão Vaz, Roupeiro and Arinto. However, in growing proportions, the white grapes Verdelho, Alvarinho and Viognier have been enjoying success. But red varieties actually exceed whites in Alentejo. Aragonez, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet and Castelão grapes blend well together and are responsible for most of the Alentejo reds.