Description

Mary Taylor Filipe Ferreira Douro DOC Red Blend

When Mary first fell in love with wine in the early 1990’s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart. As a young professional selling French and Italian wine, first in the New York wine auctions and then as a merchant, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way— not as a luxury good reserved for special occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life.

After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, our elegant “White Label” was born.

The Douro wine region takes its name from the Douro River, flowing from its source in north–central Spain (under the name Duero) across northern Portugal to its outlet at Porto, on the Atlantic Coast. Known as the vinhateiro, this glorious wine growing region was the first in the world to have a formal demarcation (under the 1756 Portuguese charter protecting Port wine) and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001. The Douro River valley vinhateiro is sheltered from Atlantic winds by the Marão and Montemuro mountains and has a hot, continental climate with hot dry summers and cold winters. Terraced vineyards line the steep, rugged riverbanks, subdivided into three subregions: Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior.

This small, 20–hectare property is classified by the IVDP (Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto), who gives this Quinta an A– rating for its choice terroir. Everything is hand harvested. All of the wines are foot–pressed in large granite lagares. This is a distinctly Portuguese owned winery in Pinhao – the heart of the Douro.

Quinta da Foz is located at the junction of the Douro River and its tributary, the Pinhão, in the Cima Corgo subregion. The Calém family acquired it in 1872, and today Filipe Ferreira is in charge of winemaking. It’s a small, 20 hectares property, half of which is treasured 50-80 year-old vineyards and half olive groves. Here, in the center of the Douro Valley, steep terraces are cut into the schist riverbanks, where vine roots seek out the pockets of moisture in the foliated sheets of schist, bringing a great minerality to the final wine. This blend brings together the aromatic intensity of Touriga Nacional, sophisticated delicacy of Tinta Roriz (better known in Spain as Tempranillo), and the structure and elegance of Touriga Franca. Certified sustainable.

Mary Taylor Filipe Ferreira Douro DOC Red Blend Notes To Your Senses:

• APPEARANCE: Ruby red
• AROMA: Rich dark fruits, cassis, saddle leather, cigar wrapper, dark soil tones and a hint of smoke
• TASTE: Deep, focused and full, with superb depth at the core, excellent soil signature and grip, ripe tannins and a lovely balance
• FINISH: Long and complex
• ABV: 13.5%