Quinta do Cotto

Quinta do Cotto is located in Cidadelhe in the lower part of the Douro Valley and produces intensely complex still reds that are amongst Portugal's finest. In an area where Port is King eyebrows were raised when back in 1982 when proprietor Miguel Champalimaud announced that he would be concentrating on table wine production and today still wine production is their forte, rather than Port production.

There are 50 hectares of vines which mainly consist of the Port Production Varieties, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Francesca. The grapes are hand picked, totally destemmed and then vinified separately.

Interestingly the wines are then filtered prior to being put into oak casks so consequently it can lie undisturbed in cask without racking. Winemaker Carlos Agrellos produces immensely concentrated complex and well-structured wines that while overtly appealing and drinkable young will cointinue to improve in bottle for many years.