Raymond Reynolds Ltd

Overview

Location: Pocinho, Douro
Website address: http://www.quintadovalemeao.pt

This is one of the great wine estates of the Douro, if not the world.
Bought and established by that legendary lady of Port, Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, in the early 19th Century, it has been the stage for many pioneering feats of winemaking and viticulture in the Douro.

Currently though it is still in family hands, with descendant Francisco Xavier Olazabal (Vito), his winemaker son Francisco and daughter Luísa all devote to the cause. This humorous and relaxed team has, since they started making wine at the quinta in 1999, pushed the boundaries of excellence in Douro reds beyond what was imaginable.

Perched on the river’s most dramatic meander, around 70 hectares of vines sweep before your eyes, planted with a host of local varieties. A magnificent granite edifice houses the winery. It is remote and extreme in location but of outstanding beauty and the wines reflect this setting.

Quinta do Vale Meão based on Touriga Nacional is huge and intense, surges across the palate with great power yet is has masterful complexity with elegance of fruit and grace of tannins… “Darth Vader in slippers...â€

Their “second†wine Meandro has all the above elements on a lesser scale, but manages to reveal a character of its own, not just be in the shadows.

The raison d’être of this estate eons ago was to make Port, and so they continue to now, producing powerful and classy Vintage Port. These can be enjoyed both when youthful and then later with classic bottle age.

A snaphot of Quinta do Vale Meão’s track record:

 

Wine Enthusiast Annual World’s Top 100 rated wines

2011: Quinta do Vale Meão 2008: placed 32

2008: Quinta do Vale Meão 2005: placed 55 (94 points)

2007: Quinta do Vale Meão 2004: placed 67 (94 points)

 

Wine Spectator Annual World’s Top 100 rated wines

2011: Quinta do Vale Meão 2008: placed 64 (95 points)

2009: Meandro 2006: placed 48 (92 points)

2007: Meandro 2005: placed 64 (91 points)

2006: Quinta do Vale Meão 2004: placed 18 (97 points)

2004: Quinta do Vale Meão 2000: placed 20 (95 points)

 

Francisco Olazabal was named “Revista de Vinhos†Winemaker of the Year 2011

Wine List

For older vintage information please contact us or consult the producer’s website

Quinta do Vale Meão

Current Vintage: 2009

 

Meandro de Vale Meão

Current Vintage: 2009

We seem to keep saying this, but probably the best Meandro yet. Its getting harder and harder to think of this as a 'second' wine. Trademark super-fine grained tannins provide the frame for layers and layers of dusty-rich fruit.

"The 'second' wine made by genius Francisco Olazabal from a blend of eight local grapes, dominated by Touriga Nacional. Full of fruit and spice, fleshy yet firm with true Douro grip and very good value." Steven Spurrier in Decanter Magazine, on the 2008 vintage

"This is what's known in posh wine circles as a 'second wine', which generally speaking means a wine made from spare grapes that have not made it into a producer's top wine. There's no sense of leftovers here, though. With a violet, floral lift to the dark fruit, a suggestion of wild herbs and a purring understated power, this is a very classy match for roast meat." David Williams, Observer, 1st January 2012.

2001 Vintage Porto

 

2004 Vintage Porto

Decanter 5 stars.