Quinta das Maias

DÃO: In the northern center of Portugal, the Dão DOC in the Bieras Wine Region is one of the country’s oldest and most famous wine regions, dating back to Roman times. Grapes are grown in very granitic soil, the best in the foothills of the Serra da Estrela mountains. Many vineyards are planted on south facing slopes to take full advantage of the sun. Sheltered by mountains, creating its own micro-climate, the high plateau of the Dão enjoys hot, dry summers and very cold winters with good rainfall. Other than a few estates like Roques, 90% of the vineyards are one hectare or less, separated by small villages and pine forests. Encruzado, Malvasia Fina, Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Jaen(Tinta Mencia), Roriz(Tempranillo) & Tinta Cão are the leading grape varieties.

“I am tempted to say Quinta dos Roques is the Ch. Latour to the Ch. Margaux of Quinta da Pellada, but I would quite understand Portuguese frustration at this observation.” Jancis Robinson.

“A revolution has been taking place in the vineyards and cellars of Portugal. . . nothing short of astonishing!” says Jancis Robinson, foremost authority on grape varietals in her latest book, “Jancis Robinson Tastes the Best Portuguese Table Wines.”

Quinta dos Roques and its co-owned winery, Quinta das Maias lead this revolution with high quality wines and innovation in producing the first group of seriously regarded Portuguese varietals that have set the standard for all the rest of the producers and greatly reduced the reliance on often ill-matched field blends. As a result of this innovation, Roques was named “Producer of the Year for its 1996 varietals by the foremost Portuguese national wine magazine. The 1996 Touriga Nacional from Roques was acclaimed one of the ten best wines of the twentieth century in the by The Quarterly Review of Wines.

QUINTA DAS MAIAS: Part of the family owned and operated wine estates of Quinta dos Roques and Quinta do Correio, Quinta das Maias was purchased in 1997, which was an obvious move since the wines from this estate have been produced and bottled at Roques under the separate Maias label since 1992. Located just 30 kilometers from Roques winery, Maias comprises 86 contiguous acres at an elevation of 1500 to 1800 feet in the foothills of the Serra da Estrela mountains, providing excellent daily temperature variation for ripening the 5-30 year old vines. The average yearly rainfall of 1400 mm is more than double that of London, but fortunately mostly during the winter, rather than increasing the risk of damage to grapes at harvest time.

The varietals look quite different, even at the early stage in their growth cycle. Touriga Nacional shows a distinctive, wild growth habit with shoots sticking out at all angles, yet has very limited yield if cut back too far at the start. Jaen has small leaves of light-green hue, while Tinta Cão produces larger dark green leaves. The vineyards are quite modern, employing cane pruning and vertical canopy growth. Over the years a number of vines have been grafted to the more successful varietals.

Since 1897 the land and the name has been noted in land registers. Vineyards covered much of the area and the old cellar’s solid granite walls reflect over a century of harvests. Much of the old production equipment has been renovated and incorporated into an onsite museum. The brilliant yellow flowers of the “Maias” the May(Mai) flowers we call Scotch Broom, that surround the vineyards every spring have naturally become a part of the graphics on the label. This charming and serene location is gradually being restored and enhanced by Luis Lourenço, the manager for all the Quinta dos Roques’ properties. He is ably assisted by the same staff from Roques and Correio just 30 kilometers distant - Cellar Master João Santiago and Winemaker Rui Reguinga, with the “father” of the vineyards, Manuel Olieveira providing his viticulural expertise.

Situated between Nabais and S. Paio de Gouveia, inside of the perimeter of the Serra da Estrela Nature Park, the 86 acres include 33 acres of older vines and 53 acres of younger plantings. The varietal mix of older vines is the characteristic of the region, largely Jaen(Tinta Mencia) in the reds and Malvasia Fina in the whites. The mix of new vines is different, following a strategy to enhance innovation in the production of Dão wines. The new plantings of white varietals focus on Verdelho, Barcelo and Encruzado, while the reds are predominately Jaen, Tinto Cão, Roriz(Tempranillo), Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro. Current production, which continues to grow with new plantings - no grapes are purchased outside the vineyard, has reached 80,000 liters, one-third white wines to two-thirds red. The vines qualify for near organic management under “sustainable agricultural” practices.

As at Quinta dos Roques, a tasting room in the renovated winery that’s right in the vineyard allows visitors to taste the Maias wines by themselves or with the fine regional cuisine. The wines are well-matched to such treats as roast kid or pork, duck with rice, sausages and the fabulous Quejo da Serra cheese.
Vistors to the winery also enjoy the historical sights of the area, including the historical castle town of Linhares.

TASTING NOTES FOR CURRENT VINTAGES in stock

Quinta das Maias 2005 Dry White - Since the 2000 vintage of this stunning Maias blend of top Dão white varietals careful grape selection shows just how big a difference can be achieved. The hand picked grapes are also hand-sorted before pressing, resulting in a wine with powerful perfume, rich fruit and complex structure. This modestly priced wine is a tremendous value. Made from Malvasia Fina (50%), Encruzado (30%), Verdelho (15%), and Cercial (5%).

Quinta das Maias 2002 Tinto - “What a crowd pleaser. Bursting with fruit but with complexity & depth, too. It has as many curves as Goya’s Maja.” Jeff Frees, Quarterly Review of Wines 20% Touriga, with 80% of the powerful, rich Jaen. From the same winemaker as Roques. Flavors that stand up to the most challenging sauces and spices. 9 months on new Portuguese oak. 1997 rated 93 Pts in Wine & Spirits

Single Varietal Collector’s Releases:

Collector’s Releases are offered in heavy burgundy-style bottles with distinctive yellow capsules and are only produced in small quantities of 1200 to 12,000 botttes in the best vintage years.

Quinta das Maias Malvasina Fina 2006 - A distinctive white wine’s huge floral-fruit nose and mango flavours masks its absolutely bone-dry finish. Grown throughout the world, The Maias Malvasia is unique to its soil and climate. Barrel-fermented in new French oak for only one month not to overwhelm the lovely fruit characteristics, the floral nose shows balances with a subtle, toasty barrel-ferment character. Serve with shellfish, creamy pasta dishes, light game birds & poultry.

Quinta das Maias Encruzado Reserva 2004 - Deservedly called “THE ULTIMATE ENCRUZADO“. It seemed impossible to top the legendary quality of the existing Roques Encruzado from its sister winery just 30 kilometers away. But this only challenged the producer to experiment with selecting the best clusters from low-yield vines at the higher 1800-ft elevation to produce just 1200 bottles of wine fermented and aged 12 months in new French oak. The resulting intensity of citrus and tropical melon flavors with sinuous body calls for decanting at a cool cellar temperature for fullest enjoyment. Released in late 2006 after another 12 months in bottle the oak achieves a perfect harmony in accentuating the layers of crisp fruit flavors.

Quinta das Maias Jaen (Tinta Mencia) 2002 Jaen is grown in Dão and Bairrada, making wines with vibrant fruit. The second most common variety in the region, it is found in great numbers in Mangualde and Gouveta - and is believed to have been introduced by pilgrims returning with cuttings of Tinta Mencia from Spain’s Bierzo vineyards on the way back from Santiago de Compostela. Jaen is the winemakers friend, since it is the last to bloom, thus avoiding spring frost and the first to harvest, avoiding most fall rains. Jaen produces elegant wines, rich in color and very smooth, because of the grape’s lower acidity. An intense, delicate bouquet evocative of raspberries characterizes this variety. “This relatively unusual Jaen varietal has a deep, burly color and a lovely, velvety almost overripe nose with hints of prunes and flattering black fruits. . . tannins are very smooth & the acidity is just enough to balance the richness.” Jancis Robinson