Casal Sta. Maria Ramisco DOC, 2012 500mL
Delicate flavors of exotic wood with spicy notes, complex organic matter, mushrooms, and cedar resin from the forests of Sintra. Salty Atlantic notes with an interesting iodine flavor and some red fruits. Smooth and velvety palate, with mushrooms and iodine flavor, soft tannins, but firm with crisp and very elegant acidity, residual pine nut and cedar resin flavor, good concentration.
WINEMAKING: Jorge Rosa Santos and António Figueiredo.
Previous Awards and Ratings:
- 94/100 points – Robert Parker (2009)
- 90/100 points – Aníbal Coutinho (2010)
- “O Melhor de Portugal” 2020 – Grandes Escolhas Magazine (2010)
Vintage: 2012 | Region: Lisboa | Denomination: DOC Colares | Varieties: Ramisco | Alcohol: 12% | Residual Sugars: <0,6g/l I 500mL
VINEYARDS: Pre-phylloxera vines, planted sometime in the 19th century. Typically located on prehistoric sandy dunes on the cliffs over the Atlantic, the non-grafted vines are deeply rooted in the clay layer that is usually between 2 to 4 meters deep. These vines are driven like bushes in the soil.
YEAR: It was a year that, despite having an annual precipitation of 636mm, was characterized by a situation of meteorological drought, which began in late 2011 and which remained almost throughout the year, has been more intense by the end of winter and early spring. Regarding the temperature, this was lower than the average.
VINIFICATION: The grapes were harvested by hand at the end of October, undergoing a natural fermentation, staying 2 weeks in post-fermentative maceration. Aging for 6 years in Brazilian mahogany barrels of 3000L, followed by another 2 years in French oak barrels of 225L. Before the wine comes out to the market, it is still another 1 year in the bottle.