In a region that had succumbed to the pressure of tourism, a determined man was able to recover the production of high quality wines after half a century of forgetfulness. The triumph of Quinta do Barranco Longo witnesses the vast potential of the wines from the Algarve that the talent of Rui Virginia leads through fascinating paths never crossed before.
Great works are frequently the result of the stubbornness of those who make them. When Rui Virginia got bored with the lack of attention payed to the wines from the Algarve, he decided to create a study case that would honor the Portuguese wine making and could dignify the region. In 2001 he started the production of the Quinta do Barranco Longo wines. A decade and a half later he had a portfolio with 20 references and a medium annual production of 100 thousand liters.
The Estate is located in an area called BarrocalAlgarvio, in the interior strip of land. With a medium ground elevation of 400 meters, benefiting from the sea freshness and the solar exposure that has made the Algarve famous among visitors from every continent, it gathers the perfect conditions for the production of high quality wines. The clay-limestone soils and the carefully selected vine varieties compose the ideal bouquet for an exceptional terroir.
Out of the 75 hectares of agricultural holding, 15 are occupied by vineyard, equipped with drip irrigation and hand harvested on the first days of August every year, when the fruits reach the right level of ripeness. The grape bunches are picked and placed into small 12 kg boxes and are refrigerated until processing.
In the cellar, the young oenologist team, led by PatríciaPiassab, has all the technical means to ensure the quality of the productions. The winemaking is made in stainless steel tanks, with temperature control. It is equipped with filling line, high efficiency presses and appropriate equipment for the production of sparkling wines. In the ageing room the best French, American and Hungarian oak barrels line up.That is what makes an exceptional portfolio.
Rui Virginia rejects the participation in wine contests since day one.The producer assures that the wines are made outside, in the dialogue with the wine lovers, the critics, the best restaurants. The seminal presence of his wines in Tastings and events of the sector witnesses the extent of this strategy. The range of wines favors the oenophile with several and original proposals.
From the Barranco Longo Rosé, a blend of Aragonez and Touriga Nacional, one of the fist wines of the winery, to the bold combinations of native and international vine varieties, without forgetting to pay tribute to indispensable varieties (like Reserva Syrah, Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserva Alicante Bouschet or Petit Verdot), it all comes down to the freshness and modernity displayed by the portfolio which justifies the enormous success among the public and the triumph in exports.
Some special words must be said about the red and white Remexido wines. Named after a famous guerrilla from the Algarve that stood out in the Liberal Wars, they are rebellious wines like the man they pay homage to and very appreciated by the connoisseurs. The red Remexido, awarded with a 17 score in the Revista de Vinhos, is a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Touriga Nacional and Syrah. It is well appreciated by the “exuberant aroma, very floral, hints of wood, spicy” and “chocolate bottom”. The tasting note says it is “polished in the mouth”, with “good depth, pleasant but keeping the freshness”. The white is recommended by its excellent acidity, the unusual unctuosity, the “enormous ending” of a set that the Clube de VinhosPortugueses has recognized as a “great wine”.
There are men that defy the prejudices of their time and triumph where others are incapable of venturing. By fulfilling his ambition of producing great wines in the BarrocalAlgarvio area, Rui Virginia has succeeded in broadening our horizons and by that he deserves the gratitude of the wine lover’s elite.
