Soito, Dao, 'Estate White', Encruzado

A refreshing, creamy wine from the Encruzado variety, with delicious notes of lemon balm, orange blossom, juicy white fruits and layers of citrus.

Producer Note

Established in 2013, Soito Wines is one of Dão’s youngest and most promising winemaker projects. Driven by their passion for Dão wines, two former teachers, José Carlos and Sandra Soares, embarked on a mission to produce distinctive, characterful wines, which mirrored their passion for wine and captured the essence of the Dão terroir. The family estate of Quinta do Soito, is located in the Beira Alta, in northern central Portugal and has a history of winemaking which dates back over 100 years. Giving it a new lease of life, Jose and Sandra focus on sustainable cultivation, following an ethos of social and environmental responsibility. Quinta do Soito is gaining traction as one of the region’s leading producers, where native Dão grape varieties are skilfully translated into award-winning wines in their state-of-the-art modern winery.

Vineyard

The Dão region is located in Beira, central northern Portugal, flanked by the mountain chains of Caramulo, Montemuro, Buçaco and Estrela, which offer protection from the prevailing winds. Within this basin configuration, there is a wide range of micro-climates strongly influenced by relatively steep valleys carved out by the Mondego, Alva and Dão Rivers and their numerous tributaries. The vineyards range from 200 to 700 metres above sea level, and the white varieties are planted on elevated, terraced slopes, where they benefit from cooler microclimates. The wide diurnal temperature shifts of up to 20°C, ensure the fruit is endowed with ample natural acidity; Dão wines are renowned for their freshness. The soils are granite dominated sands, with particles of feldspar, quartz and mica which sparkle in the vineyards. They are lean, free-draining and relatively infertile soils, which force the vines to struggle, resulting in complex wines. The vines are cultivated sustainably and are pruned according to double cordon, simple cordon or Guyot, with the method tailored to control the vigour to ensure the best quality. The grapes are manually harvested. 

Winemaking

The grapes were de-stemmed, lightly crushed and gently pressed. The juice was then decanted for 48 hours at 10°C. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks at 16°C and lasted for three weeks; part of the must was transferred to barrels where the fermentation and ageing took place. At the end of the fermentation a light bâtonnage was carried out, in the vats and barrels to impart texture.

Tasting Note

A refreshing, elegant wine from the Encruzado variety, showing complex notes of lemon balm, orange blossom and juicy white fruits, with layers of citrus. Creamy, but beautifully balanced by a crisp finish.

Grape

Encruzado 90%, Malvasia Fina 10%