Quinta do Carneiro Red 2016

Quinta do Carneiro is located on the edge of the wine-growing zone of the municipality of Alenquer, one kilometre from the landmark of the seventh league of the Mala-Posta line. Sousa, also president of the council of ministers of Portugal. The property is located next to the old and important royal road, between Carregado and Coimbra (Mala-Posta), it was there that some members of the royal family passed and stayed. The residential part of the farm still retains traces of ancient architecture, which is evident in the old stonework around the doors and windows.
Between the 18th and 19th centuries, the farm was mainly dedicated to the production of table grapes and grapes for wine production. It was at the beginning of the 19th century that the current limits of property were defined, during the reign of D. Miguel I.
In 1984 the Sociedade Agrícola do Carneiro S.A. was formed by the former owners, where new vineyards were planted with the primary objective of producing and bottling wine.

Terroir
The property's 50-hectare plot extends over clay-limestone soils, with exposure to the south and benefits from a climate influenced by the Atlantic transition and tempered by the arid Mediterranean. The predominance of slopes facing south and west favors the rapid accumulation of sugars, polyphenols and aromas that lead to early vintage. On the other hand, exposures to the North and East of the other slopes encourage a longer and smoother maturation process, producing wines that are richer in primary aromas.
The vineyard occupies 42 hectares and produces about 300 thousand litres of wine per year. The winery is located in the middle of the vineyard, which allows for a short time between the grape harvest and crushing, preventing the start of any unwanted fermentation.
On the farm, the vineyard and its cultivation are the objects of particular attention, to obtain the best grapes, sanitary and impeccable and in a suitable state of maturity.
The vineyard is accompanied in the different stages of the production process: pruning, weeding, degreling, phytosanitary treatments, weeding clusters and harvesting.

Wine Cellar
The winery, which dates from 1991, is equipped with recent technology, from the reception of the grapes, presses, control of fermentation temperatures, stabilization of the wine, filtration and bottling. In this way, it is possible to carry out all operations inside the property, from the bunch to the bottle.

Wine Ageing
On the farm two types of storage are practised: oak barrels and stainless steel vats. The property also has a cellar where all bottled wines pass for an internship of at least one month for whites and three months for reds. In the ageing in barrels, in addition to the use of French oak, national oak, of the species Quercus pyrenaica, from Gerês is also used. In white wines, Portuguese oak provides freshness, minerality and enhances ageing, in red wines it provides structure, gives personality and ageing capacity.

The Wines
Quinta do Carneiro has a wide variety of grape varieties, such as Pinot Grigio, Arinto, Fernão Pires and Chardonnay for whites, and in Castelão, Trincadeira Preta, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Alicante Bouschet, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
All this variety, combined with their terroir and excellent oenology techniques, allow them to make wines with distinct profiles and of great quality.