Wines from Quinta de Chocapalha.  Add/Read Comments

Chocapalha Estate

I have just discovered a superb array of wines from a Portugese Estate. Purely by chance we stumbled upon the Chocapalha estate at the London Wine Fair yesterday where the delightful Alice and Sandra Tavares da Silva took us through their small range.

Sandra, the daughter of Alice, is the wine maker both here and at Quinta Vale D. Maria. Chocapalha is 50 hectare estate, purchased and replanted in the late 1980’s with the first commercial vintage released in 2000. Small production here with 30-35,000 cases annually. The red varieties are hand-selected and foot-trodden separately in stone lagares before fermentation at low temperatures.

Only Corney and Barrow currently stock these wines in the UK. They also list wines from Quinta Vale d. Maria. Out comes my credit card…

Quinta de Chocapalha Vinho Branco, 2004, Estramadura, Portugal.
Corney & Barrow £8.87.
A delicious crisp blend of Chardonnay (60%), Vitel (10%) and barrel-aged Arinto (30%). Minerally, fresh, long lasting flavours, upfront fruit. Delicious. Only let down by being a touch expensive. Production of just 3,000 cases.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100

Quinta de Chocapalha Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003, Estramadura, Portugal.
Corney & Barrow £8.99.
I believe this is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Very international in design (while still retaining the individualistic Estate-style) with immediate sweet, blackberry fruit before the intense complexity bursts over the palate trailing plenty of tannin in its wake. Production amounts to just 6,000 bottles.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100

Quinta de Chocapalha Vinho Tinto, 2002, Estramadura, Portugal.
Corney & Barrow £7.64.
This is a superb blend of Touriga Naçional, Tinta Roriz and Alicante Bouschet. A stunning array of complex flavours, concentrated, rich. Still quite tannic, drinkable now but with several years to go. Excellent.
Scribblings Rating - 94/100

Quinta de Chocapalha, Chocapalha, 2001, Estramadura, Portugal.
Corney & Barrow £12.98.
The estates flagship wine utilising their highest quality grapes. A blend of 60% Touriga Naçional and 40% Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo). Excellent. Chocolate spice nose with spicy black fruit flavours. Rich, concentrated, a touch of oak, not over-bearing, depth and complexity in droves. Excellent long lasting flavours.
Scribblings Rating - 96/100