Lés-a-Lés 2020 Trás-os-Montes Vinhas Velhas Tinto
The Trás-os-Montes Vinhas Velhas red wine comes from vines that are all over 100 years-old, planted to over 15 different varieties, mostly red. The mountainous region is home to deep granitic soils. This grapes are painstakingly hand-harvested without separating the white, red or pink varieties, in 25kg wicker baskets. The grapes are then crushed and destemmed for fermentation in 1000 liter wooden vats, where they spend 2 days in pre-fermentation maceration. Here is when the grapes are foot trodden for gentle extraction with fermentation. The wine is aged in used (12+ year-old) 600 litre French oak barrels for 14 months. At this point the wine has strong tannins and a unique way of highlighting the traditional method in which wines were made in the region. This red is one to be paired with salty meats and full cheeses.