Jose de Sousa Mayor Red Wine

JOSÉ DE SOUSA MAYOR 2018

RED WINE
V.R. ALENTEJANO

HISTORY
The José de Sousa Rosado Fernandes Cellar was founded in 1878 and was purchased by José Maria da Fonseca in 1986 fulfilling an old dream of producing wine in Alentejo in a estate full of prestige and history The estate is located in Reguengos de Monsaraz and it is here that a 2 000 year old Roman tradition is kept alive The José de Sousa Cellar owns 114 ceramic amphorae in which an ancient fermentation method takes place At the José de Sousa winery, the winemaking technique with talhas is still being used in a very similar way as it was 2 000 years ago.

“TALHA” WINES
At the José de Sousa winery, the winemaking technique with talhas is still being used in a very similar way as it was 2.000 years ago.
The grapes are hand harvested, slightly foot crushed and destemmed by hand with the “ripanço table”. The fermentation in talhas (capacity around 1.600 liters) is done with part of the must, skins and 30% stems at a temperature of about 28oC, controlled by spraying water four times a day on the talhas. The other part is fermented in lagares.
The use of the talhas gives spices and a third dimension to the wine.
This process is followed by four weeks of skin contact. After that, the wine is transferred directly into new French oak casks for 9


VINTAGE INFORMATION

REGION

ALENTEJO

VINEYARD AREA

2.9

GRANITIC

PRODUCTION

8,800

WINE PRODUCTION

BOTTLING

2021

NOVEMBER

GRAPE VARIETIES

55

GRAND NOIR

35

TRINCADEIRA

10

ARAGONÊS

ANALYSES

14.5

ALCOHOL

5.6

TOTAL ACIDITY
(TARTARIC ACID)

3.6

pH

STORAGE

12º

TEMPERATURE

60

HUMIDITY

SHELF LIFE

MORE THAN 15 YEARS

AFTER BOTTLING

TASTING NOTES

COLOR

Ruby.

AROMA

Dates, cocoa and dried figs

PALATE

Dark chocolate, black plum with a long and austere finish

FINISH

Long

VINIFICATION

The grapes are hand harvested, slightly foot crushed and destemmed by hand with the “ripanço table”. The fermentation in talhas is done with part of the must, skins and 30% stems at a temperature of about 28ºC, controlled by spraying water four times a day on the talhas. The other part is fermented in lagares.

AGEING

The wine was transferred directly into new French oak casks for 9 months. It was bottled without any filtration or stabilisation.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Should be served at a temperature of 16ºC, after having been decanted, with game and cheese. This wine may throw sediment with age.


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