At A Glance
- Field
- Detail
- Region
- Douro
- Main grapes
- Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Sousão, Tinto Cão and Tinta Francisca
- Wine styles
- Fortified wine and red wine
- Named bottles
- Nicolau de Almeida Porto Branco Leve Seco, Nicolau de Almeida Vintage Port, Curral Teles Lota Mateus Nicolau de Almeida, Nicolau de Almeida Quinta do Monte Xisto Oriente, Nicolau de Almeida Quinta do Monte Xisto, Monte Xisto Órbita
- Defining feature
- Douro Superior vinification followed by Gaia maturation, bottling and shipment
The Producer
At Adega do Sável, Mateus Nicolau de Almeida works with his wife, Teresa Ameztoy. They began their wine project in 2015. The wider business presents itself as an Iberian family enterprise rooted in the winemaking traditions of the Douro and Rioja regions.
Mateus is the son of João Nicolau de Almeida and the grandson of Fernando Nicolau de Almeida, who founded Casa Ferreirinha Barca Velha in 1952. He created Muxagat in 2003, then left it to his partners in 2014 to develop his own project. Teresa was head winemaker at Ramos Pinto from 2005 through 2019, leaving that position in 2019 to focus fully on the couple's wine project.
Place
Quinta do Monte Xisto is in the Douro Superior at Vila Nova de Foz Côa, where the family produces Douro and Port wines. After vinification, the wines go to cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia for ageing, bottling and shipment.
The two locations have different climates. The Douro is Mediterranean, while Gaia is Atlantic. Vinification takes place in the warmer inland region, and the wines finish their cellar work in the cooler coastal climate.
Wines
The range divides between fortified wines and reds. Nicolau de Almeida Porto Branco Leve Seco is a dry white Port. Nicolau de Almeida Vintage Port is the vintage fortified wine, with the 2021 bottling made from Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa and Sousão from Quinta do Monte Xisto.
Curral Teles Lota Mateus Nicolau de Almeida belongs to the Curral Teles wines, which explore different vinification techniques. Nicolau de Almeida Quinta do Monte Xisto Oriente 2022 is a red from two east facing parcels planted separately to Tinto Cão and Tinta Francisca. The range also includes Nicolau de Almeida Quinta do Monte Xisto 2021 and Monte Xisto Órbita 2021.
Oriente occupies the less deeply coloured red position in the range. The Port bottles belong to fortified styles, while Curral Teles is organised around changes in vinification.
In The Glass
Oriente 2022 is fresh and light, with notes of spices. Its colour is less loaded than a deeply coloured red, and its east facing exposure and grape varieties support the lighter style.
The dry white Port is dry by its name. Vintage Port belongs to a fortified style, where spirit raises alcohol and fermentation can leave sweetness. The three grape varieties in the 2021 Vintage Port bring a broad composition, while Curral Teles is defined by differing vinification techniques.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Nicolau de Almeida Quinta do Monte Xisto Oriente 2022. It is a red wine built from two east facing parcels, one planted to Tinto Cão and the other to Tinta Francisca. The bottle keeps the focus on red wine, parcel exposure and grape choice before the range moves into fortified Port and the different vinification approaches of Curral Teles.
Final Word
The family vineyard, olive trees and almonds are certified organic. Alongside the four hectares of owned vineyard, the project works with rented vineyards and purchased grapes.
Sources
1. https://ameztoyalmeida.com/about-us/ 2. https://ameztoyalmeida.com/vineyard/ 3. https://ameztoyalmeida.com/cellar/ 4. https://thesourceimports.com/producers/mateus-nicolau-de-almeida/ 5. https://www.ilovedouro.pt/en/experiences/nicolau-de-almeida/121 6. https://www.nicolaudealmeida.pt/nicolau-de-almeidas-vintage/ 7. https://www.nicolaudealmeida.pt/qmx-orienteen/