Domínio do Açor Vila Romana White 2022

A historic farm with a spectacular heritage of old vineyards was acquired by a group of friends in 2021. Domínio do Açor is located in a fascinating atmosphere next to the medieval village of Oliveira do Conde. “Domínio” refers to the philosophy of producing great terroir wines in Dão, with grapes from the “domaine”. And “do Açor” evoking the geography, facing the Serra do Açor. With the consultancy of the terroir master Pedro Parra and the oenology of the talented Luís Lopes, who has worked at Comtes Lafon in Burgundy and Quinta da Pellada in Dão, the style is one of elegance, freshness and granite minerality.

Açor Vila Romana White Domain 2022 / 4,267 bottles

GRAPE VARIETIES COMPOSITION: 56% Encruzado, 44% Cerceal-White and Malvasia-Fina.

ALCOHOL CONTENT: 13.4° GL

ENOLOGY: Complete destemming and crushing in a pneumatic press, followed by natural decantation and spontaneous fermentation in cement egg, stainless steel and barrels, at a temperature between 18-22°C. Complete malolactic fermentation. Aged in different containers on fine lees for 11 months, in a reducing environment. Clean passage and aged in stainless steel for 6 months until bottling. (76mg/l of total SO2). Natural decantation, the wine was not clarified or filtered, and may present deposits.

INTERNSHIP: 11 months. 30% Encruzado from Vinha Romana in new barrels (one 400 L French oak, one 500 L Austrian/German oak), 20% Encruzado from Vinha da Fonte Velha in cement egg and 6% in new barrels, 44% Malvasia-Fina and Cerceal-Branco from Vinha da Fonte Velha in stainless steel. Subsequently 6 months in stainless steel.

ENOGASTRONOMIC GUIDELINES: Grilled turbot, octopus rice, baked rabbit, crab shells, shrimp bobó, buttery Serra da Estrela cheese.

Score:
92 points ROBERT PARKER

"The second vintage of this white blend, the 2022 Branco is a different blend from the initial 2021 and is much higher in Encruzado, up to 56% (versus 26% in 2021), and the rest Cerceal Branco and Malvasia Fina. It fermented and matured in stainless steel except for 50% of the Encruzado that fermented and matured in barrel for 11 months. It's lower in alcohol (13%), has a higher pH of 3.41 and similar acidity, 5.40 grams. It has a more herbal nose, with herbal notes reminiscent of asparagus, and very tasty and saltier flavors, more granite.