In Quinta da Vinha, owned by José Manuel Cabrita, the future of the wines from the Algarve is being outlined. Some of the vine varieties that make the terroirs from the South of Portugal famous live together in circa 6,6 hectares, originating fresh, elegant and very gastronomical wines.
Not many stories result in such a happy present or such a promising future as the one of the wines from the Algarve. Thanks to the talent and dedication of their producers, the Algarve has witnessed the birth of one of the most interesting portfolios at the disposal of the contemporary oenophile. Among those producers, Quinta da Vinha, owned by José Manuel Cabrita, well known by the excellence of its wines awarded in national and international contests, must be stressed out.
Cabrita Wines goes back to 1977 when the father of its current owner acquired 6,6 hectares of land in Silves in order to grow vineyards. Years later, they decided to combine noble vine varieties like Touriga-Nacional, Trincadeira and Aragonês through grafting given the fact that these wines perfectly matched the terroir of that region. The first wines, red and rosé Cabrita, emerged in 2007 in editions of 11300 and 3000 bottles that soon conquered the connoisseurs.
Cabrita wines appear in an excellent portfolio composed by three blends, three indigenous vine varieties and two reserves that stand as the front of the best the Algarve has to offer.
The red Cabrita, made with Touriga Nacional, Aragonês and Trincadeira impresses through the impact of its red ripe fruits and hints of chocolate and coffee aroma. It has round and soft tannins, with a good structure and a long aftertaste. The white, a blend of Arinto and Verdelho, is a gastronomical wine that goes perfectly with fish and sea food that match its citrus freshness. The rosé was elaborated with the red vine varieties and reveals great elegance in its red fruits, cherry and strawberry aroma, with the presence of acidity and white fruit in the end.
In the varietals, Cabrita Moscatel, which has been awarded with a bronze medal among the best wines from the Algarve, stands out: sweet as it should be expected, it presents great minerality and freshness being the ideal choice to go with sushi, grilled fish and salads, therefore being very gastronomical. Cabrita Arinto, an explosion of freshness and fruit, surprises by its minerality and by the creaminess that the ageing on lees provides. Negra Mole, from an ancient indigenous vine variety, returns in a very intense, elegant with fresh red fruits flavored wine that should definitely be experienced.
The red and white Reserva must also be emphasized. The first, made with Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira, ages for ten months in French oak barrels. It is a concentrated black cherry colored wine, with intense red fruits aroma, with good volume on the mouth and a very aromatic and prolonged aftertaste. The white Reserva, a blend of Arinto and Verdelho, ages in new French oak barrels. It is pale yellow colored with citric aroma and has hints of pear and spices. It is full-bodied, with an excellent persistence.
Throughout the years, Cabrita Wines, from Quinta da Vinha has been awarded with numerous accolades in national and international contests: Gold and Grand Gold medals in Concours Mondial de Bruxelles; one Silver medal in the Wine Masters Challenge; a profusion of awards in the Grande Mostra de Vinhos de Portugal contest and in Fatacil. This is the proof that José Manuel Cabrita’s wines did not go unnoticed at the eyes of the critics, earning the appreciation of the international wine lovers thus leaving behind a trail of excellence that honors the Algarve and is an example for those who want to create special wines in the region.
