Notes of darker/dried fruits, dates and wood spice on the nose.  The palate is well-integrated with plum, black cherry, blueberry, and woodsy-cedar notes.  Despite its age, tannins are still somewhat youthful and acidity is fresh.  Purple berry flavors linger on the long finish.

This wine is reminescent of a Rioja Reserva.

WINE INFORMATION

It all began in 1918 when on the 15th of August, a few months before the Armistice, Manoel Domingues Poças Júnior, aged 30, created a company to sell grape spirits to large port wine shippers. First his uncle, then his brothers, his wife and his grandchildren joined in the venture.

Today, with three quintas (estates) in the best winemaking areas of the Douro Demarcated Region and at 250 acres in size, Poças is led by Maria Manuel Maia, the family’s fourth generation leader along with her cousins. They work in partnership with Hubert de Boüard, the renowned French oenologist from Bordeaux to seek the highest possible quality. Simbolo means “symbol” in Portuguese and this wine is meant to symbolize its origin.

The 2016 Simbolo is a field blend from vines ranging from 40 to 60 years in age grown in schist. Grapes are selected in the field and harvested by hand. A temperature-controlled fermentation takes place with pumping over and extended maceration.  The wine is aged for 18 months in new French oak 300-liter barrels followed by 12 months of bottle conditioning.

Duck, Hearty stew, Lamb, Red Meat, Wild Game