J Portugal Ramos Vila Santa Reserva

Vila Santa Reserva bottle image

Wine Description

Vila Santa was João Portugal Ramos's first wine. The name means “Holy Village,” referring to the nearby ancient city of Estremoz where the famed Miracle of the Roses occurred. In the 13th century, Estremoz was ruled by King Diniz and his wife, Queen Isabel. Isabel was dedicated to helping the poor, but had to hide her generosity from her husband. One day, as Isabel was leaving the castle with an apron full of bread, Diniz appeared and asked to see what she was carrying. Isabel opened her apron, where the bread had miraculously been transformed into roses. Isabel continued her work free from suspicion and was canonized in 1625.

The Vila Santa red blend marries Aragonês, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. After harvest, part of the yield is foot trodden in marble troughs, known as lagares, and the remainder is fermented in stainless steel tanks following a long post-fermentation maceration. The blend is aged for nine months in French oak barrels.

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
“Surprisingly successful in this unheralded vintage. Perhaps that is because it is Ramos’ top wine this year. He declassified his premium brands in the vintage, leaving this alone at the top. It is on the more elegant side, but it has a more than adequate mid-palate, quite able to feel substantial. It is fresh and charming. Overall, it is simply delicious, a lovely performance.”
— Mark Squires, Dec 2012
RECOMMENDED.
— CNN, Apr 2014
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
The Monte de Caldiera, Sao Lazaro, Serrado Pinhiero and Herdade das Romieras vineyards
Vineyard size
1,250 acres
Soil composition
Schist and limestone clay
Training method
Guyot Double-Guyot
Elevation:
990-1320 feet
Vines/acre:
1,200-1,600
Yield/acre:
2.4-2.8 tons
Exposure:
Northern / Southern / Southwestern / Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1989; 1998-2003
Harvest time:
September-October
First vintage of this wine:
1992
Bottles produced of this wine:
240,000
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Winemaking & Aging
Maceration length:
15
Varietal composition:
25% Aragonês, 25% Alicante Bouschet, 20% Touriga Nacional, 20% Syrah , 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Fermentation container:
Oak barrels and Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
8 days
Fermentation temperature:
77 °F
Maceration technique:
Racking
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barriques
Size of aging container:
250 L
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
9 months
Age of Aging Container:
New
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.6
Acidity:
5.2 g/L
Alcohol:
14 %
Residual sugar:
<4 g/L