2023 Quinta dos Murças "Margem", Baixo Corgo, Douro, Portugal
ABOUT THIS WINE
Quinta dos Murças Margem comes from vineyards planted in the 1980s along the Douro riverbank, where some of the estate’s oldest vineyards are located. The soils here are composed of shale blocks, stones and pebbles. The vineyard's low altitude and mostly south-facing exposure help to produce grapes of unusual concentration and ripeness.
2023 was marked by another atypical year, with a warm and rainy winter, followed by a very hot and dry spring. The summer was hot and classified as normal due to the rainfall recorded in June and September. Throughout the growing cycle, high temperatures and low rainfall in some months contributed to a hot year with average precipitation levels overall, but with deviations from the usual climate pattern. Harvest for the Margem plots began on August 24th, with good ripeness and fruit balance.
Grapes are hand harvested and sorted, destemmed, crushed, foot trodden, temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation (25-28ºC) with indigenous yeasts at controlled temperatures in granite lagares and pressed in an antique vertical press. Finally, the wine is aged for approximately nine months in used, 500 litre French oak barrels.
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
Esporão was founded in 1977 in the Alentejo, Portugal, out of the unconditional desire to make the finest wines. This is the motivation that remains at the basis of everything they do, now extended to other products - olive oil and tourism - and territories - the Douro and Vinho Verde. The winery is fueled organically using olives left over from making olive oil.
This is the winegrowing region with the widest variety of soils: granite, crystalline limestone-derived, Mediterranean brown and red and schist. The area is distinguished by gentle plains and shallow valleys carved out by occasional streams, a Mediterranean climate with certain areas boasting a continental microclimate and the constant presence of corn fields, vineyards and olive groves.
Summers are hot and dry, normally with over 20 days above 35° C. The springs and autumns are mild with plenty of sunny days. Winters are kind. Average rainfall during the wettest months is below 80 mm with average temperatures above 10° C, although daily temperature variations can reach 20° C.These characteristics profoundly affect Alentejo’s fauna, flora, landscape, architecture and people.
This Denomination of Controlled Origin (DOC) is made up of 8 sub-regions with a long tradition of wine production: Borba, Évora, Granja-Amareleja, Moura, Portalegre, Redondo, Reguengos and Vidigueira.
Description
ABOUT THIS WINE
Quinta dos Murças Margem comes from vineyards planted in the 1980s along the Douro riverbank, where some of the estate’s oldest vineyards are located. The soils here are composed of shale blocks, stones and pebbles. The vineyard's low altitude and mostly south-facing exposure help to produce grapes of unusual concentration and ripeness.
2023 was marked by another atypical year, with a warm and rainy winter, followed by a very hot and dry spring. The summer was hot and classified as normal due to the rainfall recorded in June and September. Throughout the growing cycle, high temperatures and low rainfall in some months contributed to a hot year with average precipitation levels overall, but with deviations from the usual climate pattern. Harvest for the Margem plots began on August 24th, with good ripeness and fruit balance.
Grapes are hand harvested and sorted, destemmed, crushed, foot trodden, temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation (25-28ºC) with indigenous yeasts at controlled temperatures in granite lagares and pressed in an antique vertical press. Finally, the wine is aged for approximately nine months in used, 500 litre French oak barrels.
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
Esporão was founded in 1977 in the Alentejo, Portugal, out of the unconditional desire to make the finest wines. This is the motivation that remains at the basis of everything they do, now extended to other products - olive oil and tourism - and territories - the Douro and Vinho Verde. The winery is fueled organically using olives left over from making olive oil.
This is the winegrowing region with the widest variety of soils: granite, crystalline limestone-derived, Mediterranean brown and red and schist. The area is distinguished by gentle plains and shallow valleys carved out by occasional streams, a Mediterranean climate with certain areas boasting a continental microclimate and the constant presence of corn fields, vineyards and olive groves.
Summers are hot and dry, normally with over 20 days above 35° C. The springs and autumns are mild with plenty of sunny days. Winters are kind. Average rainfall during the wettest months is below 80 mm with average temperatures above 10° C, although daily temperature variations can reach 20° C.These characteristics profoundly affect Alentejo’s fauna, flora, landscape, architecture and people.
This Denomination of Controlled Origin (DOC) is made up of 8 sub-regions with a long tradition of wine production: Borba, Évora, Granja-Amareleja, Moura, Portalegre, Redondo, Reguengos and Vidigueira.
