Wine & Soul: Pintas and Manoella from Portugal’s Douro
Website: https://wineandsoul.com/
Jorge Borges and Sandra Tavares have built something special with Wine & Soul. I first bumped into them in May 2002 when I first visited the Douro to investigate the new wave table wines that were emerging. At the time Jorge was making wine for Niepoort, and Sandra was busy as winemaker at both Quinta Vale Dona Maria in the Douro and her own family’s property in Lisboa, Chocopalha. In their late 20s, they had just made their first vintage of Pintas (2001) in an old Port lodge in Vale de Mendiz that they’d bought from Niepoort. This was an impressive wine based on an old vineyard in the village, which is in the Pinhão valley, matured in a mix of new and used oak (these used barrels came from Vale Dona Maria). I caught up with them again on a visit a couple of years later, and have continued to taste the wines from time to time.
In 2003 they managed to buy the Pintas vineyard. This is a 2 hectare plot in the Pinhão Valley, at 450 metres, and it’s a field blend of 40 different varieties.
In 2004, they added a white wine, Guru, as well as a second wine called Pintas Character. This is a negociant wine from five old plots in Vale Mendiz, with more than 30 varieties (the older plots are usually field blends), vinified in lagares. Things really took a step forward when in 2009 they acquired Quinta do Manoella, which has a centenarian vineyard, as well as plots that are aged around 30. This is also in the Pinhão Valley, but it’s a cooler microclimate and is mainly terraces, with around 40 hectares of vines. The soils are schist, but they are deeper than Pintas, with more clay. This property had been in Jorge’s family for five generations, and he inherited it. Interestingly, the family vineyards were split between Jorge and his sister Margarida, and she got Quinta do Fojo, which made a legendary 1996 wine but then kind of disappeared from view, only sporadically releasing a vintage.
THE WINES
Quinta do Manoella Branco 2023 Douro, Portugal
This is from old plots, high up, with some granite in the soil. A field blend, fermented and aged in tank and cement. Linear, round and bright with a stony edge, and nice purity and precision. Very fine with nice texture and energy. This is still primary, but it has great potential. 93/100
Vinha do Altar Reserva Branco 2023 Douro, Portugal
This is a property in the Planalto at 600 m, on granite soils near Sabrosa, and it’s another farm from Jorge’s family. It was used by Sogrape to make the first dry Douro white wine. Stainless steel only. This has nice energy: it’s stony and mineral with good precision and purity to the citrus fruit, with some floral character. 93/100
Wine and Soul Guru 2022 Douro, Portugal
This was first made in 2004, and it comes from transition soils of schist/quartx/granite. They have been buying new parcels and now have 18 plots. Barrel fermented in mostly old oak. Textured, mineral and fresh, with layers of white peach, pear and citrus fruit. Very lively and expressive with a stony edge. 94/100
Quinta do Manoella Rosé 2023 Douro, Portugal
The fourth release of this pink. 100% Touriga Nacional, picked early, weighing in at 12.5% alcohol. Gentle pressing and a low temperature ferment has resulted in a bright wine with precise citrus and cherry fruit with nice delicacy and texture. 91/100
Quinta do Manoella Tinto 2022 Douro, Portugal
2022 was a challenging year because it was so hot and dry. This is tank fermented, three weeks on skins, then aged 14 months in used French oak. Beautiful Douro typicity here with fresh black cherries and raspberries, with lovely fruit. Very linear with notes of olive and spice, showing nice purity. Ripe but balanced with nice freshness. 94/100
Pintas Character 2021 Douro, Portugal
Vinified in lagares. Ripe and textured with some spice and olive notes, showing good tannins, some tar, and nice dried herbs. This has weight and energy, and nicely firm tannins. 94/100
Pintas 2021 Douro, Portugal
This is 20 months in French oak, with 30% new. Bold, rich, tightwound and spicy, this has lovely detail. Grippy and a little wild, but showing lots of black cherry and blackberry fruit. Nice density and focus to this expressive wine. 95/100
Quinta do Manoella VV 2021 Douro, Portugal
This is from the centenarian vines, and there’s lots of Touriga Francesca, Rufete and Bastardo in this field blend. Fresh and expressive with lots of cherry and raspberry fruit, nice tannins and good acidity. Very different in style to Pintas, with lovely grip and vitality. Bright, linear and focused with brightness and presence. 95/100
As well as table wines they also make Ports. ‘Port is small, but it is a mission for us,’ says Sandra. ‘Jorge’s family used to make Tawny Port. It’s important for small producers to keep putting energy into Port.’ So step-by-step they have been creating stocks, which they age in the cellars at Manoella.
Manoella 10 Extra Dry White Port NV
Golden in colour. Made in lagares and just 30 g/l rs. Rich, nutty and spicy with some sweetness, but not too much, with notes of raisin and spice. Intense and deep with a liquorice finish. 92/100
Manoella 10 White Port NV
This is sweeter at 90 g/l rs. Golden in colour, this is sweet and spicy with notes of orange peel and lemon and nut, with a hint of raisin. Well balanced with some spicy intensity. 93/100
Manoella 10 Years Tawny NV
This has some very old Ports in it. Fresh, fine and elegant with some spicy, woody depth. Lively and precise with orange peel, negroni and red cherry notes. Finishes fresh. 93/100
Manoella 20 Years Tawny NV
Nice complexity here with finely spiced woody notes, some brightness and lovely focus to the fruit under the spicy detail. Very fine and expressive. 94/100
Pintas Vintage Port 2021
Deeply coloured. Beautiful floral aromatics with amazing black cherry, liquorice, blackcurrant and blackberry fruit on the palate. So fruity and luscious, with presence and purity. Lovely well integrated tannins. 95/100
