Quinta dos Pesos Carcavelos 1997

The wines of Quinta dos Pesos offer a glimpse into the long history of Carcavelos, one of Portugal's great Vinhos Generosos and perhaps its rarest wine. Situated in the village of Caparide, west of Lisbon, the estate was acquired by Manoel de Boullosa in 1963 and its vineyards were painstakingly restored over the course of the next twenty years. In keeping with ancient tradition, a mixture of white (Arinto, Gallego Dourado, Ratinho, Rabo do Ovelha) and red grapes (João Santarem, Espadeiro Tinto) from its 3.5 hectares were co-fermented and aged in cask for many years. Winemaking operations ceased in 2005 as a result of M. Bullosa's untimely passing, and only a few vintages had been commercialized in limited quantities. The remaining wines continued their long slumber until 2018, when they were tasted, selected and blended, with minimal intervention. The results were revelatory, and confirm the high esteem afforded Carcavelos over centuries.