Vargellas Vinha Velha2007
The 2007 growing season was preceded by a wet winter that replenished water reserves after four hot, dry years. The humid conditions continued into spring and early summer with lower than average temperatures combined with periods of rain.
There were no significant periods of intense heat during the summer months. This ensured that the leaf canopies were in an exceptionally healthy condition and able to benefit from the warm weather that preceded the harvest.
The first two weeks of September saw constant daily temperatures of between 35ºC and 38ºC. These warm and dry conditions brought the crop to perfect maturity, advancing the production of sugar and phenolics while retaining the excellent natural acidity resulting from the relatively cool summer.
As a result the harvest produced perfectly balanced musts which have produced stylish and elegant wines, full of vitality, with a superb fresh concentrated fruit character.
This was only the fifth ever bottling of this rare and fine wine.
TASTING NOTES
Deep inky colour with magenta rim. Intense, pungent nose of black fruit, dark chocolate and liquorice with great depth and concentration. Layers of flavour assail the senses as the rich dark berry, ripe black plum, blueberry and luscious bitter chocolate almost overwhelm the palate. The tannins are lean, sinewy and perfectly integrated. The wine is clearly of enormous structure, but also so finely balanced the lasting impression is of a wine with great elegance and finesse.
