Porco Espinho Tinto 2023

Porco Espinho Tinto is another great new find from Cas’Amaro in Portugal who will be certified organic for all their wines very soon.  This wine is a terrific blend of indigenous varieties of Afrocheiro, Tinta Roriz and Jaen from the Dão region of Portugal. It gets your immediate attention from its very fresh cherry fruit aromas and hints of forest herbs. This is a lighter style red with pure, clear, juicy fruit with a touch of spice. It is quite complex with decent structure and a hint of earthy minerality; at the same time it is an attractive and easy-going, smooth red with very good length.

This wine is best served slightly chilled between 12 and 15C.

Wine maker Ricardo Santos named this wine after a porcupine as a tribute to their vineyards in the mountainous, granite-soiled Dão region, which is known for its natural and wild biodiversity. 

How the wine is made

The grapes for this wine are hand harvested at dawn and fermented in stainless steel with daily pump overs to give a more approachable style and then matured for a further 8 months on the lees to integrate the tannins and give a softer wine.

About the Producer

Cas’Amaro are an organic producer, who make artisanal wines across their five agricultural estates in the following Portuguese wine regions. Vinho Verde, Douro, Dão, Alentejo and Lisboa cultivating a total of 62ha across these estates. They work with a minimal intervention approach, in order to develop and encourage biodiverse local ecosystems and work entirely with indigenous grape varieties.

Outside of producing fantastic wines, they are very dedicated to giving back to their local community, employing exclusively nearby to help local families, organising free activities for local schools, day centres, associations and nursing homes. Their project also is passionate about architecture, art and wine tourism, where they are happy to welcome anyone!

They are also very keen on their eye-catching labels, like this one!

About the Region

Dão is one of the oldest established wine regions of Portugal, located just south of the famous Douro Valley. The mountainous region is home to Touriga Nacional, the principle variety of port wine but a range of indigenous grapes are also grown there, notably the Jaen grape (similar to Mencia in Spain). The region takes its name from the Dão river, a tributary of the larger Mondego river. The majority of the region`s vineyards are located alongside the Dão river.

Cas’Amaro vineyards are close to Santa Comba Dão, on the right bank of the Mondego river, with the Serra da Estrela mountain range as a backdrop, the Quinta’s various plots produce excellent grapes from the region’s indigenous varieties, such as the white Encruzado, Cerceal, Malvasia Fina, Rabo de Ovelha and Bical, and the red Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Jaen and Tinta Roriz.

Sells in a few Independent Wine Merchants for £15.95 – £16.50 check out our great price

Food match: A versatile wine suitable for pairing with all meat and chicken dishes; particularly good with roast meats, game or even a Barbeque!