Old vines planted in schistose soils in vertical rows at altitudes between 460 ft and 555 ft, facing south and west. This wine comes from a plot located on the margin (margem) of the Douro River, which characterizes the vineyard’s terroir and produces highly concentrated, ripe grapes, features accentuated by the atypical weather in 2017. The extremely hot and dry climate this year was marked by a long absence of rain and high temperatures, accelerating grape evolution and ripening. Therefore, the 2017 harvest began earlier than in the previous year, in order to create a greater balance between concentration and acidity.
Roger Voss, the magazine’s Portuguese wine critic, who attributed 93 points to Quinta dos Murças Margem 2017, underlines this wine’s structure and palate: “Foot-trodden grapes and wood aging make this an impressively opulent wine that is built by a strong grip of tannins and rich berry fruits. The dense texture and powerful fruitiness indicate a wine that can age.”
