Quinta do Crasto Superior Syrah 2022 Douro Tinto 75cl

Designation of Origin: Regional Wine - Douro Lands (Douro)

Vintage Year:
2022 was characterized as an extremely dry year. Reduced rainfall throughout most of the growing season, along with high temperatures recorded during the spring and summer months, had a significant impact on both the quantity and ripening of the grapes. The winter period recorded very low rainfall, and from June onwards the region entered a severe drought, reaching 46.5°C in Pinhão, the highest value ever recorded in Portugal. It should be noted that the minimum temperatures at night during these periods were also high, preventing the vines from recovering during the night. Due to the high temperatures, there was an anticipation of flowering and veraison. Despite good bunch formation, the impact of the climatic conditions was significant, with the bunches and berries being smaller than usual, also demonstrating the extreme resilience of the vines, which defended themselves against the drought that set in at the beginning of their cycle. Ripening checks were brought forward to the beginning of August, with the harvest starting on August 18th.

Grape varieties: white. This was the second earliest harvest, after 2017. Maturation analyses showed some abnormality in the development of the berry compounds, with low sugar and acidity levels compared to average values, a situation explained by the climatic conditions observed. Despite the unusual climatic conditions throughout the year, the old vines of Quinta do Crasto ended up being a positive surprise, with the vines adapting well and producing excellent quality wine. This good performance is explained by the age of the vines, with a good root system capable of reaching deeper soils with some level of moisture, size, and training system that protects them from water stress and low production. The exposure and essentially the elevation of the different plots were preponderant factors in terms of production, with the lower elevations showing much lower yield levels when compared to plots and vines at higher elevations. The rainfall that occurred in the second week of September was of tremendous importance in terms of must quality. Despite forcing a halt to the harvest, the vines experienced a "release" and reacted quickly to the increased water availability, leading to higher yields and alcohol content in the must, without compromising the sanitary aspects of the production. The year 2022 was definitely challenging, with the wines exhibiting moderate alcohol levels, balanced acidity, stable colors, and good structure, but above all, fantastic elegance!

Winemaking:
The grapes, sourced from our Quinta da Cabreira estate in the Douro Superior region, were transported in food-grade plastic crates and subjected to rigorous sorting upon arrival at the winery. After complete destemming and light crushing, the must was transferred to stainless steel fermentation tanks where alcoholic fermentation took place at a controlled temperature.

Aging:
Crasto Superior Syrah aged in French oak barrels for approximately 16 months.

Exam Grade:
The wine has an intense ruby-red color. On the nose, it presents notes of ripe black fruits and forest aromas in perfect harmony with subtle notes of fresh spices. On the palate, it is concentrated and succulent with well-structured and very elegant tannins. An engaging wine that reflects the typical characteristics of the Syrah grape and finishes with excellent freshness and persistence.

Technical Information:
Vine Age: 13 to 18 years | Serving Temperature: 16-18º | Exposure, Soil and Altitude: East - South - West - North | 120 to 450 m | System: Vineyard on slopes; Vineyard on terraces of 1 and 2 rows | Alcohol: 14.5% | Bottling: July 2024 | Total Acidity: 5.2 g/L | pH: 3.75 | Residual Sugar: 1.8 g/L