Producer >
The Symington's family’s first property outside the Douro region. Quinta da Fonte Souto is in the Portalegre subregion of the Alto Alentejo in southern Portugal. Close to the São Mamede range (1,025 metres), the property benefits from the area’s altitude with its cooler microclimate in sharp contrast to the Alentejo region’s typically hot and dry conditions. Yields are low due to the schist and granite soils, which are less fertile than those found in the flat and rolling terrain which characterizes the majority of the Alentejo. There are 207 hectares on the property, of which 43 are planted with vines. The principal grape varieties are Aragonês, Alfrocheiro, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The property has a substantial chestnut grove, from which its name is derived — ‘souto’ refers to a wooded area planted with chestnut trees.
Viticulture >
The 207-hectare Quinta da Fonte Souto was
acquired by the Symington family in 2017
and is their first vineyard outside the Douro.
Lying on the slopes of the São Mamede Range
at an altitude of 500 metres in the Alentejo
sub-region of Portalegre, the property benefits
from cooler and wetter conditions than the
hot Alentejo plain. The Fonte Souto wines
express the freshness and elegance provided
by the altitude, as well as the structure
and complexity from the estate’s extensive
collection of mature, low-yielding vines.
The winter was cold and initially quite dry, but from the end of February and
until June, rainfall levels were above the 30-year average, particularly during
March and April. A wet spring delayed the vegetative cycle, and this was the case
right up to the vintage. Summer began cool and practically without rain, but
between August and October temperatures were always above average and with
very little rain. These conditions were, however, a beneficial counterpoint to the
low temperatures and abundant rainfall recorded during most of the winter
and throughout the spring. The vintage started mid-September and the grapes
showed complete and balanced maturations. We produced very elegant wines,
aromatic, well-structured and balanced.
Winemaking >
The hand-picked grapes are placed in small, shallow boxes and taken to the
on-site winery. Manual sorting is followed by destemming and gentle crushing
after which grapes are transferred to the fermentation vats. Fermentations are
individually monitored, and the temperature and macerations are adjusted to
maximise the potential of each fermenting batch. The grapes sourced from the
property’s finest vineyard parcels are vinified in smaller capacity fermentation
vats, worked manually with cap submersion and post fermentation maceration
to encourage the extraction of some tannin from the pips to complement those
extracted from the grape skins. This adds structure and longevity to the wines.
Syrah, Alicante Bouschet
12
PORTUGAL
6
Cork
Anselmo Mendes
Fact Sheet
