Producer

Domínio do Açor was founded with the ambition of reviving some of the Dão's most exceptional terroirs through precision viticulture and a contemporary interpretation of the region's historic grape varieties. Planted on granite soils and farmed organically, the vineyards produce wines of remarkable elegance, freshness and a profound sense of place.

The estate follows a philosophy of minimal intervention, favouring spontaneous fermentations, gentle infusion rather than extraction, and carefully judged ageing to preserve the purity of the fruit and the unique expression of each individual parcel.

Wine

Domínio do Açor Jaen Alterita 5 – Silty 2023 is a distinctive interpretation of Jaen, sourced from the Vinha Celta vineyard, where a higher proportion of silt in the soils gives the wine a markedly different character from the estate's other parcels.

The vineyard, planted around 35 years ago, covers just 0.65 hectares, of which only 0.16 hectares are dedicated to Jaen. These deeper, moisture-retentive soils, rich in silt over decomposed granite, produce a wine with greater breadth and structure while retaining the hallmark elegance of Domínio do Açor.

Fermentation takes place in open granite lagares using fully destemmed grapes, with a winemaking approach centred on gentle infusion rather than extraction. The wine remains on its skins for eight days, with manual cap management to preserve the variety's delicate aromatics. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank, and the wine is neither fined nor filtered.

It is then aged for 17 months in a combination of used oak barrels of different origins, followed by an additional three months in stainless steel before bottling.

The result is an authentic expression of Jaen, combining ripe red fruit, floral nuances and a silky texture with exceptionally fine tannins and elegant mineral freshness.

Scores

Robert Parker Wine Advocate: 93+ points

"More rustic, with more evident fruit, although it remains better than the 2022 vintage, showing greater elegance and finer tannins."

— Luis Gutiérrez, Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Luis Gutiérrez also highlights how the silt-rich soils give Alterita 5 its own distinct personality, resulting in a wine of remarkable character and excellent ageing potential.

Technical Information

Region: Dão, Portugal

Grape Variety: 100% Jaen

Vineyards

• Vinha Celta (0.65 ha)

• Jaen parcel: 0.16 ha

• Approximately 35-year-old vines

Soils

• Decomposed granite with a high proportion of silt

Vinification

• Fermentation in open granite lagares

• Fully destemmed grapes

• Fermentation temperature: 20–24°C

• Infusion-style extraction

• Manual cap management

• 8 days of maceration

• Malolactic fermentation in tank

• Unfined

• Unfiltered

• Fine lees ageing with natural settling

Ageing

• 17 months in used oak:

  • One 400 L used French oak barrel

  • One 500 L used French oak barrel

  • One 500 L used Austrian/German oak barrel

• Additional 3 months in stainless steel before bottling

Food Pairing

• Roast lamb

• Partridge and other game birds

• Wild mushrooms

• Duck rice

• Medium-aged hard cheeses

Meta Title

Domínio do Açor Jaen Alterita 5 – Silty 2023 | Dão – Temple Wines

Meta Description