J Portugal Ramos Alvarinho

João Portugal Ramos Alvarinho bottle image

Wine Description

João is considered by many to be the Piero Antinori of Portugal and a pioneer in the region focusing on lower yields, estate fruit, varietal character, biodiversity and sustainability. He and his family continue to innovate and more recently purchased property, planted vineyards and built a winery in the Vinho Verde, DOC. In 2013 he released the inaugural vintage of his single varietal Alvarhino.

Vinho Verde is the largest DOC located in the northwest of Portugal with 9 sub-zones so it is important to note the fruit source and for this wine the sources were chosen very carefully. The amphitheater-shaped mountain range of the region has the greatest influence on climate - the "natural shelter" that is created limits the Atlantic influence, which is characteristic of the region. Thus, in the sub-region of Monção and Melgaço there are higher average temperatures in summer (better ripening), lower humidity (less incidence of mold) and also lower average annual rainfall than in the rest of Vinho Verde region which allows the grapes to ripen harmoniously without being diluted.

Joao Portugal Ramos
J Portugal Ramos Winery
J Portugal Ramos Vineyard
Estremoz Castle
Winery Exterior
Marble Stone Lagares
Winery Aging Room
Winery
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Acclaim
“Dried lemon, green pineapple, mango stone, fennel, oyster shell and flint on the nose. Medium-bodied with vibrant acidity. Creamy, flavorful core of tropical and citrus fruit turns to a more mineral, saline finish.”– #55
— James Suckling, Jan 2022
“The 2019 Alvarinho is unoaked, dry (three grams of residual sugar and 6.2 of total acidity), without fizz and comes in at 13.2% alcohol. Beautifully textured and expressive, this has depth and some power, but it is also more expressive of its grape than its sibling, the Loureiro this issue, if not quite as energetic. Simply gorgeous in its youth, this tastes great and seems well structured too. Silky and seductive, this looks like a fine vintage for this bottling, an overachiever. We’ll see how it ages, but at least in its youth, it is irresistible. It’s worth leaning up on it today.”
— Wine Advocate, May 2020
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Sub-region of Monção and Melgaço
Vineyard size
25 acres
Soil composition
Granite
Training method
Simple cordon superposed ascendent and falling
Elevation:
6 feet
Vines/acre:
440
Yield/acre:
2.8 tons
Exposure:
Southern
Harvest time:
Mid September
First vintage of this wine:
2012
Bottles produced of this wine:
20,000
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Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Alvarinho
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
15 days
Fermentation temperature:
61 °F
Total SO2
74
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.16
Acidity:
6.7 g/L
Alcohol:
13 %
Dry extract:
20.9 g/L
Total SO2
74
Residual sugar:
3.6 g/L
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Wine Production

Partially fermented in new French Oak barrels and the remainder is fermented in stainless steel tanks with temperature control. After a pre-fermentation maceration at low temperature, the grapes are pressed and the juice clarified. Fermentation takes place at controlled temperature of 16ºC for 2-3 weeks. 10% is fermented in new French Oak barrels.