Douro En Primeur

Very ripe and wonderfully fresh, giving a real sense of lift to the nose and a very Douro perfume of lightly peppery dark and red berry fruits, dark flowers, and fragrant herbs. On the full side of medium-bodied, there is a silkiness but also plenty of grip, a juicy core and a delicious mix of fruits with a pleasingly crisp redder quality. 0-5 years.

A blend of Rabigato, Viosinho, and Gouveio, from Churchill?s highest altitude vineyards, aged in new French oak casks for 12 months. This shows an attractive creaminess on the nose, with a bright, citrusy frame and notes of white flowers. The palate is very intense and bright, full and fleshed out, with a tangy and creamy tropical theme and a long mealy finish. This will grow in complexity but it?s a neatly judged glass already. 0-7 years.

A field blend from this very pretty spot in the heart of the Cima Corgo, part fermented in oak and 100% aged in French oak casks for 12 months. The nose leads with a touch of game, then sweet fruits, moss and damp earth, and spicy flowers, adding a little menthol with time and air. Fruity and fresh on the palate, there is very good volume and a fine, concentrated core, with a lovely, speckled feel ahead of a soft, caressing finish. Elegant as always, very pretty, and long. 0-7 years.

Great purity and freshness, an expressive, perfumed nose of gorgeous blue, black, and red fruits, with a peppery and herby quality, and a fine creaminess. Very juicy on the palate, finely grippy ripe tannins, a sweet core with a pleasing crunch. The tannins do build but this is nicely crafted so give it a year or two in bottle. 2-7 years.

Near opaque and a matching sense of depth to the nose, this is very ripe and pretty, offering up a charming, velvety sweet nose of crushed reds, soft dark fruits, and white flowers. Full and juicy with a sweet edge, a combination of ripe fruits and oak, spicy-speckled tannins and good lift. Nicely textured, lots of fun and good energy. 0-5 years

A pure unoaked example of Rabigato, appreciated for its naturally high acidity and mineral character. This opens with a very fresh nose of lime citrus and flowers, a sense of alpine pools, not complicated by very pure, hinting at a little leaf and sap. The palate follows with good intensity, lots of zesty juice and some malic grip. A lighter wine but plenty of concentration, with a citrusy and mineral finish. 0-3 years

Gouveio (aka Godello) is very much in vogue, and Duorum were delighted with new legislation allowing the use of both names on a label. This is a pure, unoaked example, leading with a crisp, super fresh nose of white fruits and citrus. The palate is bright and lively, showing some core weight, spicy/herbal complexity and white fruits hinting at the more tropical. A great, uncomplicated drinker and remarkable value. 0-3 years.

A parcel of Arinto and Gouveio from an old walled vineyard (Clos in French) with a northerly exposition, aged in for around four months in mostly older oak. Very pure and focused on the nose, showing bright citrus, delicate fragrant herbs and a sense of mineral pools. The palate too feel fresh and clean-cut, offering up savoury citrus notes and a seamless, silky texture that puts one in mind of a cooler Mâcon style. Wonderfully balanced and moreish. 0-5 years. 13% vol

A superb nose, very youthful and fruity, broadly aromatic with a cologne-like spicy perfume: wonderfully expressive and lifted. Juicy and ample on the palate, also showing some spicing and a little astringency, with good grip and plenty of acidity. There is a silky smoothness that will prevail, but we enjoyed the structural elements. Very attractive. 0-7 years.

Just one third of the wine spends time in oak, rounding things off and bringing the barest touch of cream. This is deeply aromatic, fresh and pure, with notes of black cherry and blackberry jam. The palate too is bright and fresh, very fruit-forward and shows good density and a pleasing grip that suggests it will have decent staying power. Nicely proportioned and bags of lovely Douro fruit! 0-5 years.

Named after an old local newspaper, and proudly labelled as Mêda, this is a blend of Rabigato and Esgana Cão (Sercial), aged on the gross lees in barrel for nine months and bottled at two years of age. Deep, expressive nose, showing some creamy oak and notes of salted toffee and baked apples. The palate has an almost Madeira-like mahogany hint, lively acidity, notes of citrus cordial and plenty of spice all adding to a sense of intensity. Stimulating stuff, tangy, salty, nutty, mineral and lip-smacking with great texture. A wine that really gets you thinking. 0-7 years.

Rui was absolutely beaming about this, arms folded, chin cradled ?one of our best yet?. A blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, and Tinto Cão, 100% aged in new oak. Deep and lush on the nose, showing an appealing touch of sweet oak, and rich, pure blue/black fruits. Big Douro feels and real elegance. Voluminous, expressive and lifted on the palate, plenty of structure yet supple with good freshness and well-integrated oak. Great purity of fruit, this is nicely balanced, long, smooth and very Douro. A superb effort. 0-7 years.

An old vine field blend that has been fermented and matured in a combination of tank, oak, and concrete. The nose is very attractive, fresh and concentrated, with layers of dark fruits and cherries, a touch of creaminess but also a precision and delicacy, and a stony coolness. On the full side of medium-bodied, with very fine tannins and a light grip, warm spices drive things on through a generously fruity mid-palate with plenty of red fruit lift. Great energy. 0-7 years.

A field blend of 70-80 year old vines from the Cima Corgo and Murça, based on Códega do Larinho and Rabigato, matured in older French oak for ten months. Opens with a lovely freshness to the nose, a sense of breadth and harmony, notes of citrus and white fruits, but the profile is really about minerality. The palate offers very good intensity, some attractive barrel work and a tempting salinity. Sophisticated stuff that comes alive with food. 0-7 years.

Marc and Rita's top wine, a very limited release old-vine field blend based on Tinta Roriz, matured for 20 months in French oak barriques, and featuring a label by South African artist, William Kentridge. This displays a wonderful depth to the nose, of Douro schist, rock rose, and oodles of blackberry and blueberry fruits. Fragrant, perfumed spicy Douro garrigue flows through a full-bodied palate, where a plump core is overlaid with rich fruit, and fine-grained tannins that underpin a sense of detailing. Elegantly structured, very long and very fine. 5-15 years.

Only used barrels and stainless steel, this opens with a gorgeous nose of great purity and precision, a mix of brambles and crisp black fruits ? amidst an open, speckled Douro fragrance and some lovely cassis notes. Super depth on the palate, more of that spicy perfume, dark flowers, raspberry, and a crisp tannic bite reminiscent of Cabernet Franc. Lovely balance, delicious! 0-5 years.

An old vine field blend with a base of Rabigato and Viosinho. Fresh, delicate aromas of melon, citrus, and pear, with some floral lift too. Good intensity on the palate, pithy and racy, showing lime zest with a stony mineral quality. Bright, with a saline finish and a satin-like texture. 0-5 years

A high-altitude field blend from an 80/100-year-old vineyard. They pick the fruit early and then extract very delicately to capture the greatest elegance and then mature the wine for 22 months in barrels. This has a very fine nose of nicely delineated black fruits. The palate has plentiful super fine ripe tannins giving a silky voile-like feel over a very juicy core. Notably light on its feet with glorious ripe black raspberry fruits and a cool, dark mineral vein. Delicious now but cellaring will unlock greater complexity. 2-9 years.

80+ year old vines, with touch more new oak, and a selection of the best barrels. A golden appearance and a leesy, milky nose, then very bright citrus and stone fruits. Plenty of volume and real tension, this shows great drive, with plenty of acidity and super intensity on the palate, with fine woody complexity on the mid palate. Pretty taut now, this elegant white will broaden out with time in bottle. 2-7 years.

The second wine of Quinta do Vesúvio is an absolute joy! Stewed strawberries rush from the glass in a lightly peppery, very fresh perfume, leading to a medium-bodied, juicy and fleshy palate of great energy. Nicely structured, with layers of fruit, notes of tea, and a savoury flourish ahead of a long stony finish. 0-7 years

Wonderfully deep and rounded aromas of creamy, gorgeous, blue and black fruits, and 12 months in ex-Chryseia casks has added a beautiful seasoning to the perfume. On the full side of medium-bodied, with plentiful ripe, supple tannins, overlaid with impressive levels of fruit, this has a plush, luxurious and elegant feel and excellent length. 0-7 years.

Translating as "small dilemma", a reference to creating white wines in a place known for fortified reds! Pretty, lifted notes of honeysuckle on the nose, then onto a silky palate, offering very good intensity, lively acidity and a salty tang. There is a lovely mineral element and a touch of vanilla, combining to produce an ample, fresh and juicy glass. 0-3 years.

A long-time customer favourite, a classical blend based on Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz, with about six months in oak. A great Douro nose of schist, peppery herbs and scrub, dark flowers, and ripe red fruits. Juicy and supple with some pleasing light grip, and attractive crisp red fruit flavours. 0-5 years.

A brand-new release, based on Viosinho and Códega do Larinho designed to reflect the freshness, elegance and complexity possible from higher altitude Douo vineyards. Lush, herby and aromatic, offering up notes of passion fruit and citrus. More citrus on the palate, white fruits too with a touch of salt and flint. Zesty and full of energy. 0-3 years.

The nose is super expressive and shows great clarity and purity, a real showcase of the finesse and detailing of Chryseia: minty black fruits, softer blue notes, with hints of sweet liquorice, cassis, and raspberry, this is utterly glorious! Full-bodied, generously proportioned and broad with greedy, supple tannins. There is excellent energy, vibrant acidity, intense cassis fruits, and an enticing balance of structure and juiciness. A wine worthy of cellaring but certainly not without its charms now. Superb! 5-15 years.

Attractive and mellow with great freshness on the nose, showing some toasty wood, citrus and softer floral elements. The palate displays very good energy and super lift, with sappy elements and lots of layers, developing more floral character. Modern and impressive style.

Principally a field blend of their 35-year-old terraced Alampassa vineyards in the Torto River valley, aged in two-year-old barrels. Production was down 50% in 2024 and shows in a wonderfully deep nose of pressed dark flowers, creamy dark fruits. The site is south facing but there is great freshness and finesse, reflected in a no more than medium-body, showing some spicy, chalky grip, a lightly creamy breadth and juicy none-too-sweet fruits. Wonderfully balanced, notably elegant. In a word, snazzy! 0-7 years.

A patchwork field blend of 100-year-old vines on north-facing schist soils. In 2022 they picked early and still hit 13.5% and reflecting a trend towards leaner, fresher, brighter white wines they moved to larger, older oak barrels. Concentrated, ripe nose of stone fruits ? sticky flesh, a little vanilla, fresh citrus and a lick of salinity. The palate too shows great concentration, a cordial-like richness, a spicy warmth and a lovely texture. Reminiscent of Corton or Pernand-Vergelesses, this is ripe, with good grip, and plenty of freshness. 0-9 years.

The base of CV is their 100 year old Silvas vineyard, just as it was in the original 2003 release. Expressive north-facing Touriga Francesa vines at higher altitude, and a field blend from a little lower down the slope, giving complex vaporous aromatics, power, and structure. This is shows rich dark mulberry fruit (and jam), a sense of plump ripeness, and pretty, high tones of sweet black cherry. Very concentrated, dark, soft and creamy, with pockets of sweetness and a creamy, supple texture. Great freshness, lots of energy, and very long. 3-15 years.

Character is produced from the vines surrounding the Pintas vineyard, a field blend of 30+ varietals and more than 50 years old, pressed in lagare and aged for 18 months. This has a great nose: very fresh and pure, offering lots of red fruits, complex speckled herbs, lots of garrigue ? redolent of where it is grown. Very intense on the attack, concentrated yet slender, showing attractive oak, juicy tannins and perfumed black and red fruits. Great energy and lift, a little sappy and no little grip. Give it a couple of years. 3-12 years.

A blend of Gouveio, Viosinho, Rabigato, and Códega do Larinho from a 58-year-old, north facing granite slope, fermented in tank and concrete egg. Delicate aromas of citrus, melon, white flowers, a little apple skin, fennel and soft spices. More succulent fruits on the palate, a hint of pineapple and a salty tang. This is medium bodied, bright and lively with a juicy core and a fine mineral quality; well balanced and that salty bite brings you back for more! 0-5 years.

A field blend of vines approaching 75 years, grown on schist/granite/mica soils. Small plots are all vinified separately, fermented and matured in a mix of 228/500L barrels, with about 5% new oak. Deep and rich on the nose, some woody notes and a wonderfully pure medley of grapefruit, pineapple, citrus, stony minerals and an herby green flourish ? so fresh! The palate too offers an enticing richness, great concentration and a stylish, silky texture, fine minerality and attractive oak supporting a mix of white fruits that hint at the more tropical. Beautifully textured, very long, with a tempting salinity and great mineral expression. 2-9 years.

These vines were planted just after the Phylloxera outbreak, so well over 100 years old! Another field blend, foot trodden in lagare, and aged in older French oak barrique for 22 months. Wild and spicy on the nose, over a sumptuous, creamy and lush base. Great lift and clarity. Open and juicy on the palate, creamy and undulating and complex in texture, with lovely tangy crisp red fruits. Fragrant, very stylish, rich yet elegant and offers plenty of structure for long-term cellaring. Special stuff. 5-25 years.

The Pintas vineyard is now 92 years old, containing more than 40 varieties. The grapes were all foot trodden in stone lagare and aged in French oak for 20 months. Near opaque, the nose shows a little oak sweetness and cream, and gorgeous aromas of soft blue and black fruits, super purity and precision ? ripe yet perfectly fresh and cool with just a touch of liquorice. Deeply concentrated and intense on the palate, more savoury, poised and sophisticated, with very fine tannins, great mineral expression and fresh without being racy. Amazing juice. 5-25 years.