Quinta da Boavista (João Tavares), ‘Terras De Tavares’ Dão DOC (2002)

Dão, Portugal— A birth year wine for some of our customers! This library release from 2002 is as much evidence as you need to know about João's skills in the vineyard and cellar. It's a blend of 60% Jaen (aka Mencia) and 40% Touriga Nacional, fermented and aged for six months in steel, followed by three years in 400L oak barrels. Soft, silky black plum notes are still there after all these years, though it is now matched with the wonderfully bewitching hallmarks of gracefully aged wine. Notes of sagebrush, black tea, toffee, saddle leather, and a touch of mesquite add complexity but they don't compromise the underlying finesse and elegant tannins. João rarely uses products in the vineyard, and when he does he only uses topical organic treatments. In today’s world, this is about as minimal as it gets. João isn’t following a natural wine trend. This is how he and his father have always done it. His wine is released when he feel the vintage is showing at its best. He taste-tested the 2002 for many years until finally in February 2017, he said it was ready to go.

Located in Penalva do Castelo in the Dão, a region in north-central Portugal known for producing elegant, mineral-driven red wines, João Tavares de Pina is extremely proud of his wines. João’s 18th century family home is surrounded by his organically maintained vineyards, where the distance from the Atlantic and the shelter of the nearby granite mountains allows for mild winters and moderate summers. The vineyards, located at an altitude of 550 meters are a combination of deep granite soils, clay and schist that are ideal for his prized Jaen (Mencía), Touriga Nacional and rare Pinheira (Rufete). The vineyards are surrounded by forests of oak and eucalyptus, and João works hard to maintain the natural biodiversity which includes chamomile, clover, serradella, grass, lavender and wildflowers. It is here he seeks to create wines of great intensity, expression, minerality, and finesse, hoping to live up to the 19th century adage of the Dão being the “Burgundy of the South.” João will tell you all he needs to make wine is grapes, water to clean his equipment and a touch of sulfur at bottling. He rarely uses products in the vineyard, and when he does he only uses topical organic treatments. In today’s world, this is about as minimal as it gets. João isn’t following a natural wine trend. This is how he and his father have always done it.