Alcohol: 12.5%
Grape(s): Tinta Roriz, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Caladoc, Castelão, Pinot Noir, Touriga Nacional
Localization: Lisbon, Portugal
Tasting Notes: Bright garnet color and aroma of ripe red fruits. In the tasting, it is a balanced, fruity, tasty, elegant wine with a long and intense finish. A great wine for everyday life and for any occasion.
Notes: Classic fermentation method in stainless steel vats, with destemming and pre fermentative skin contact followed by the application of dry yeasts. Fermentation up to 30º C in the first 2/3, and lowering down to 20º C during the last 1/3. During the whole fermentative process, pumping over 2 times per day, using each time half of the volume contained in the vat. After the alcoholic fermentation, the cap is plunged for 30 days, and during that period, extraction of the gentle tannins is conducted, along with the malolactic fermentation and the natural stabilization of the wine.
The wine ages in bottle for 1 month after bottling.
The Domain: DFJ VINHOS is a family firm that was established in 1998. JOSÉ NEIVA CORREIA is the head winemaker and proprietor.
DFJ has estates totaling 250ha plus contracts with partner producers that take the total area to over 600ha. All production on the estates is carried out under the Integrated Production regime (sustainable agriculture).
In 2009 DFJ achieved BRC quality certification – grade A, and since 2019 it has had grade AA.
It exports 99% of 10 MILLION bottles to over 50 countries. Global recognition is very high, having won more than 4000 awards since 2010, of which 610 were in 2020 alone. Of these, more than 1000 are gold medals.
The 200ha of DFJ VINHOS vineyards in the Lisbon region are always prepared for mechanical harvesting (12 to 15 ha/day) in advance of the equinox (September 21st), when, according to the historical climatic series, there is a 90% likelihood of rain.
There is constant monitoring of the development and improvement of the various clones of the grape varieties, in order to make room for better plants that are resistant to viruses and vine diseases. The average lifespan of the vineyards is 25 to 30 years.
José Neiva produces and selects the best wines from the grape varieties Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fernão Pires, Chardonnay and Moscatel grapes. José also introduced the Caladoc variety to Portugal (a cross between Grenache and Malbec). He is the largest producer of Pinot Noir in Portugal (30 ha). He carried out the 1st harvest of Dornfelder in 2009, a short-cycle German red variety that was also being cultivated for the first time in Portugal. Riesling, Verdelho, Sauvignon Blanc, Marsanne and Tannat are already in production. He continues to produce Alvarinho – the family's favorite white. He is a big “fan” of Alicante Bouschet (a cross between Petit Bouchet and Grenache), having been the first producer to bottle this wine as a varietal.
José Neiva Correia combines the careful selection of the varieties to be planted on the different vineyards with a policy of sustainable agriculture - with no place for chemical products in the soils. He uses organic matter only, selected according to the land, water table, climate, grape varieties, clones and the wine that is intended to be produced. All organic matter is pre-analyzed to verify that it is suitable and also to avoid heavy metals and other pollutants negative for the plants and for the environment.
The nutrition of the vines is monitored closely, without excesses or shortages; the water and nutrient needs of the various vines are carefully measured.
The end result is high-quality produce and productivity levels that are well above the average in Portugal.
The estate is José Neiva Correia’s birthplace and childhood home, 60 km north of the center of Lisbon, 20 km from the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of 80 ha of vineyards farmed using certified integrated production methods that respect the environment, soil and water table.
Surrounding the house and its terraces, many different colours paint the landscape: Alfrocheiro on one side, Moscatel on the other, a new Alicante Bouschet vineyard at the front and, on the left, Syrah, a vineyard that grew 14 tons per hectare in the second year of planting.
In fact, one of José Neiva Correia's constant concerns is to be able to increase the production of his vineyards without reducing the quality of the grapes. He is constantly studying and working to accelerate the production cycle of the vines, in order to achieve the best possible quality at the lowest possible cost.
Many of the young vines are in full production after 14 months whereas the average would be three to five years, this without compromising the quality of the wines.
A little further on, on the other side of the house, the old cellar that still bears the arms of the Lobo Garcez Palha family (18th century) has been restored and adapted to modern times: the deposits are lined with fiberglass and epoxy, the shutters and mouths were replaced by stainless steel and the modern vacuum filters for white and rosé wines ensure musts that are free of any substances in suspension. Only half an hour separates the harvesting of the grapes, all done by machine, and reception into the winery to start destemming, crushing and subsequent winemaking process.
Only the small parcels destined for the top of the range - FRANCOS and CONSENSUS are picked by hand, each bunch being carefully selected.
It has a winemaking and storage capacity of 3 million liters.
