When nearly 50% of the visitors to our February Portfolio Tasting highlighted Portugal as the wine producing country most likely to emerge in 2018, we listened and we added four more wines from the Douro Valley to our growing Portuguese selection.

Working with the indigenous varieties and unique terroir of the land of his birth, globetrotting winemaker Rui Madeira has returned to Quinta da Cassa in the Douro to become part of a new generation of winemakers, setting the pace for the growing quality of Portuguese wine.

The Quinta da Cassa estate is located in the Upper Douro, nestled on the left bank of the river amongst the A-grade vineyards where the best vintage ports are made. The red varieties, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, are planted in terraced vineyards on schist soils at an average altitude of 150 metres. These low-yielding old vines produce concentrated, rich and ripe wines, perfectly matched to the hearty traditional food of the Douro. The white grapes, Codega do Larinho, Viosinho and Rabigato come from vineyards at an average altitude of 550m, where the cooler climate helps to maintain a refreshing acidity.

The Cassa Douro white and red (Cassa Douro Branco 2016 & Cassa Douro Tinto 2015) are fruit driven and youthful, delivering real refreshment. The Reserva red and white (Cassa Douro Branco Reserva 2016 & Quinta da Cassa Douro Reserva 2015) are somewhat more serious and structured, both undergoing a period of oak ageing to give spicy, complex and food-friendly wines.

All four of the wines have a real sense of place, showing grape variety and vineyard character above wine making. They also all deliver exceptional value for money and demonstrate just why Portuguese wine should be on everyone’s radar.