Domínio do Açor 2023 Vinha Ruina Cerceal
An initial austerity quickly gives way to a ripped body – all muscle and no fat, overlain with insinuating smoky tones. On the second day, in a pattern seemingly common to Açor’s whites, the wine relaxes and breaks into a smile, albeit the urgent mineral underlay never ceases to makes its presence felt.
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Wine Specifics
WineWise Code | PDA-VRC23 |
Country | Portugal |
Region | Dāo |
Color/Style | White |
Destemming | Complete |
Fermentation Vessel | Barrel |
Additional Fermentation Notes | Total destemming and crushing in a pneumatic press, followed by natural decantation and spontaneous fermentation in barrels at a temperature of 20-22ºC. Complete malolactic fermentation. Ageing in barrels on the fine lees for 11 months in a reductive environment. |
Aging Vessel | 100% Used Barrique |
Aging Duration (months) | 11 months |
Filtered? | No |
Fining Agents | None |
Yeast Protocol | Spontaneous |
Malolactic Conversion | Yes |
Additonal Maturation Details: | Ageing in barrels on fine lees for 11 months in a reductive environment. Racked and kept in stainless steel for 6 months until bottling (44mg/l total sulphur dioxide). Natural decantation, the wine has not been clarified or filtered and may have a deposit. |
Added Sulfur | Yes, 44 mg/L |
Varieties | 100% Cerceal-Branco |
ABV | 12 |
Acidity | 6.21 |
pH | 3.23 |
Closure | Natural cork |
Annual Production | 712 bottles |
Primary Vineyard Name | Ruína means "ruin" in English, referring to the ancient and imposing structure of a two-storey manor house, most likely dating from the 16th century, which stands majestically next to this vineyard and has become a postcard image of the Domínio do Açor estate. |
Soil Types | Granite |
Elevation (meters) | max 292m, min 283m |
Vine Age | 35 |
Yields (hl/ha) | 30 hl/ha |
Farming Practices | Certified organic, practicing biodynamic, practicing regenerative, certified sustainable; ECOCERT and
GLOBAL G.A.P. AGRICERT certified |
Harvest Method | Hand-harvested |
Additional Harvest Notes | We have been experimenting with Marco Simonit covering part of the canopy of the VInha Ruína with an Italian UV-protective screen, with good results in very hot and sunny years, such as 2023. |
Other Vineyard Details | Vinha Ruína, 0,27ha, 35-year-old vines. Pedro Parra classified it as a ""grand cru"" level granitic alterite.
SOIL: Granitic. More austere granitic soils, decomposed into sandier alterites. |
Notes from the Producer: Year after year, we have become convinced that this vineyard is very special, which has been confirmed by Pedro Parra's classification of the best crus of Domínio do Açor. We are also convinced that Cerceal-Branco (different variety from Cercial da Bairrada and Sercial da Madeira, this last a.k.a. Uva Cão in Dão) is a great indigenous grape variety from Dão. We try not to deprive it of its slightly phenolic grapefruit zest expression, which brings a deliciously contrasting touch to the wine. We work on reduction to also enhance the minerality of the decomposed granite soils of this vineyard, which is sandier, with more austere soils.
