Scala Coeli Syrah Red 2022 – Vinho Regional Alentejano

Variety: Syrah

Vines: More than 30 years old

Soil Type: Granite

Analytical data: Alcohol (%) – 15.5; Total acidity (g/l) – 5.1; pH – 3.89; Total sugars (g/l) – 0.6

Energy value: 91 kcal/ml (382kJ/100ml)

Harvest: 2022 was one of the hottest and driest years on record across Western Europe. In Portugal, there was drought during the first 9 months, with 80% of the country experiencing severe drought between May and August, followed by a contrasting episode of intense rainfall during the harvest, presenting viticulture with almost unknown challenges. During the dormant period, winter was balanced, although with low precipitation. Mild spring temperatures led to early budbreak and rapid vine development. Summer was extreme, with a lack of water, and was hit by several heatwaves in August, affecting the vines, with smaller berries and difficult, highly heterogeneous ripening. A year requiring attention to detail, patience and courage in the vineyard. The outlook at the end of the harvest was different, with balanced, high-quality ripening progression following the September rains, when the Syrah variety demonstrated its adaptation and quality in the Alentejo terroir.

Harvest: Hand-picked on 5 September. The grapes were cooled in a cold room (12ºC), followed by automatic optical sorting at the winery. Pre-fermentation cold skin maceration for 5 days, followed by alcoholic fermentation in French oak vats, carried out with indigenous yeasts (present on the grapes), seeking greater expression of this non-native variety in the Alentejo terroir. Post-fermentation maceration for 20 days, preceding malolactic fermentation and ageing in 225-liter French oak barrels, both first- and second-use. All grape-transfer processes were carried out by gravity to preserve the grapes' quality potential to the greatest extent possible.

Ageing: 15 months in French oak barrels followed by 16 months in the bottle in the cellars of the Cartuxa Monastery.

Recommended drinking period: 2025 to 2040

Serving temperature: 16ºC to 18ºC

Tasting note: Deeply concentrated in color. Excellent aromatic complexity, with ripe fruit, blackberries and plum, along with subtle barrel notes, balsamic nuances, a touch of chocolate and spices, very elegant. Powerful on the palate, with texture and concentration, great tannic structure, balanced acidity and enveloping fruit, dense and persistent. Pedro Baptista | Duarte Lopes

Note about the technical sheet and vintage: This description is based on the latest technical sheet provided by the Eugénio de Almeida Foundation. The vintage announced for sale is the one indicated in the title and in the «Vintage» field (2022), subject to stock availability. If in doubt, please contact us before purchasing to confirm it.