Selected awards Gold - Sélection Mondiales Des Vins Canada Silver & 93 points - International Wine Challenge Silver & 92 points - Decanter World Wine Awards Silver - SF International Wine Competition 15.5/20 points - Magazine Bourgogne Aujhourd’hui n.167 - Dégustation “Les Bourguignons à l'étranger” Production Year - informally known as the "Poor (Wo)Man's Vintage", this blend of vintage-quality harvests from older vines is aged an average of 5 years (we call it our Ruby's "Older Brother"). Grapes - a field blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cão, Mourisco, Tinta Pomar and Rufete from our estate's older vines. Terroir - schist soil, Mediterranean climate (low yearly rainfall and dry, hot summers), grade A classified vineyards. Winemaking - hand-picked, estate-grown grapes undergo pre-fermentation line-up maceration with foot-treading in traditional lagares for 3 days followed by 3 days of temperature-controlled fermentation to more slowly extract the grapes' soft tannins, complex aromas, and rich colors. The various harvests have aged an average of 5 years in neutral, French oak, 500 liter (130 gallon) puncheons, and 7000 liter (1850 gallon) foudres before blending. Annual Production - 7,000 bottles Alcohol - 19.5% Tasting See - brownish ruby with orange highlights. Smell - prunes, dried figs, and black cherries; dried tobacco leaves, black pepper and Chinese five-spice, with a hint of vanilla bean. Sip - focused and with noticeable weight and velvety tannins; ripe black fruit with spice and bitter cacao; long, soft and persistent finish. Enjoy - now or within 8 years, cool (15°C/60°F), with strong cheese (blue), cooked fruit (grilled or Port-poached figs or pears), nuts (walnut), dense dessert (pain d'épices or flourless chocolate cake) and bitter chocolate (truffled, mocha-filled or with candied orange peel).
