Vale da Capucha, Torres Vedras, Portugal
AOC: Torres Vedras
Varieties: Arinto, Alvarinho, Gouveio, Castelão, Tourigua Nacional, Fernão Pires, Antão Vaz, Tinta Roriz
Viticulture: Organic (certified)
Size: 13 hectares
Terroir: Kimmeridgian limestone, clay
Varieties: Arinto, Alvarinho, Gouveio, Castelão, Tourigua Nacional, Fernão Pires, Antão Vaz, Tinta Roriz
Viticulture: Organic (certified)
Size: 13 hectares
Terroir: Kimmeridgian limestone, clay
Vale da Capucha was started on the family property by Pedro Marques and his brother within the Torres Vedras DOC, 45 minutes northwest of Lisbon, and about 10 kilometers away from the Atlantic Ocean. He began his journey to running the estate when he was only a child, when he helped harvest every year. In 2003, he interned in California, and from there it was decided that winemaking would be his full time career.
After traveling around Portugal and other cooler-climate wine growing areas, he began the process of transforming the property in 2007, resulting in the release of their first vintage in 2009/2010. They planted the whole estate, 13 hectares, with local varieties like fernao pires, arinto, gouveio, alvarinho, castelao, and touriga nacional . There were a couple of French varieties at the beginning that didn't work as well, viognier and syrah, both of which were regrafted to local varieties by Pedro. The estate lies on the slopes above the family estate on a vein of Limestone from the Kimmeridgian era and enjoys a very temperate Atlantic climate. In essence, Torres Vedras resembles Muscadet more than Rioja.
After traveling around Portugal and other cooler-climate wine growing areas, he began the process of transforming the property in 2007, resulting in the release of their first vintage in 2009/2010. They planted the whole estate, 13 hectares, with local varieties like fernao pires, arinto, gouveio, alvarinho, castelao, and touriga nacional . There were a couple of French varieties at the beginning that didn't work as well, viognier and syrah, both of which were regrafted to local varieties by Pedro. The estate lies on the slopes above the family estate on a vein of Limestone from the Kimmeridgian era and enjoys a very temperate Atlantic climate. In essence, Torres Vedras resembles Muscadet more than Rioja.
The estate is farmed organically and is certified. Pedro ferments all of his wines naturally and vinifications are done without any SO2 unless something extraordinary happens during harvest. The whites are pressed directly whole cluster and moved to stainless for fermentation, before some of them are moved to demi-muids for élevage, usually lasting approximately one year. The reds are destemmed and fermented in a variety of cement tanks, larger oak casks and demi-muids. All estate grapes are between 10-15 years old, with some purchased grapes from other family members in Torres Vedras where the vines are older.
Pedro’s wines are among the most compelling we’ve had from anywhere in Portugal, and we’ve been thrilled with every bottle we’ve opened. We have high hopes for this young winemaker, and will always be proud to have him be the first Portuguese winemaker in the Selection Massale family.
WINES
Fossil Branco: Fernão Pires 50%, Arinto 35%, Castas regionais 10% (Alvarinho, Viosinho, Antão Vaz). Whole bunch, gently pressed under 1 bar. Natural cold settling before racking to ferment naturally, in stainless stell tanks. 20 months maturation on lees, in stainless steel and different barrel sizes. Malolactic fermentation completed. No additions at all but a little sulphur.
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CLIMA Branco: Fernão Pires 40%, Arinto 30%, Gouveio 30%. Whole bunch, gently pressed under 1 bar. Natural cold settling before racking to ferment at 17-18oC. 8 months maturation in stainless steel tanks on yeast lees prior to bottling. No additions at all but a little sulphur. No oak.
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Arinto: 100% Arinto. Whole bunch, gently pressed under 1 bar. Natural cold settling before racking to ferment naturally, in used barrels, with no temperature control. 10 months maturation on lees, in different barrel sizes and stainless steel tank. Malolactic fermentation completed. No additions at all.
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Gouveio: 100% Gouveio. Whole bunch, gently pressed under 1 bar. Natural cold settling before racking to ferment naturally, in used barrels, with no temperature control. 20 months maturation on lees, in different barrel sizes and stainless steel tank. Malolactic fermentation completed. No adittions at all but a little sulphur.
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Branco Especial: 70% Arinto, 15% Alvarinho, 10% Fernão Pires, 5% Antão Vaz. Solera wine started in 2013. Skin contact fermentation with various maceration approaches. It is a composition of many wines with 2 days of maceration up to 2 months. Whole bunch, only crushed, destemmed, etc. Fermentation in small bins with no temperature control. Vertical press. Maturation in barrels of different sizes. Malolactic fermentation completed. No additions at all but a little sulphur.
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Fossil Tinto: 60% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz, 10% Syrah. Whole bunch and destemmed fruit, gently crushed. Fermentation in concrete tanks with “pigeage”. Eight months élevage in stainless steel tanks and very used 225L barrels. Just a bit of SO2 added before bottling.
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Castelinho: 100% Castelao. 80% destemmed grapes and 20% of whole cluster. Delicate extraction and natural fermentation in stainless steel tank. Daily "Pigeage" during alcoholic fermentation, then racked back into tank. No addition of exogenous products to the grape was used, with the exception of a minimum dose of sulphites. 10 month élevage in stainless steel.
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CLIMA Tinto: 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz, 30% Castelão. Whole cluster and destemmed fruit, gently crushed and fermentation in concrete tanks with “pigeage”. 20 months maturation in stainless steel tanks on the lees and also in used 225L barrels. No adittions at all but a little sulphur
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Tinto: 70% Tourigua Nacional 30% Tinta Roriz. Bold serious wine, two years of élevage in tank and different size barrels and around 2 years in bottle before release.