Ramos Pinto Duas Quintas celebrates 25 years

João Nicolau de Almeida takes the helm at the traditional celebration to the end of vintage

Duas Quintas, the Douro DOC wine label of acclaimed Port House Ramos Pinto, is 25 years old.  It may have been born 110 years after Ramos Pinto was founded but, as Douro DOC wines go, it’s ‘long in the tooth.’ I’m just back from Oporto/the Douro where I tasted verticals of both whites and reds, among the oldest of which looked far from long in the tooth!

The brand’s 25th anniversary wasn’t the only cause of the weekend’s celebrations.  After 40 years at Ramos Pinto, it is esteemed Chief Winemaker/General Manager and Douro pioneer João Nicolau de Almeida’s last vintage.

João Nicolau de Almeida enjoys a rock star moment

But above all, he’s a team player – with Chief Viticulturist (Carlos Peixoto), Port Winemaker (Ana Rosas) &, a little more visible below, Douro Winemaker (Teresa Ameztoy)

Fittingly, the 2015 vintage is a cracker – a suitably high note on which to leave. Perhaps looser lipped than usual now he approaching his retirement from Ramos Pinto, de Almeida didn’t partake in the customary polite hedging telling me, “it will be a Vintage Port year.”  

A vertical of Duas Quinta Brancos

Speaking of Vintage declaration years, the Duas Quintas verticals thoroughly trounced the idea that a Vintage Port year does not the best (Douro DOC) wines make.  Even for the whites – the outstanding Duas Quintas Branco 1994 being a compelling case in point.

And the reds

I’ll write up this historic tasting soon but, meantime, I hope you enjoy some pics from a foot-stompingly good, fascinating and fun duas dias in the Douro.

Friday’s lunch after the whites – a stunning shellfish spread from Restaurante Os Lusíadas

Saturday’s lunch concludes with birthday cake of course