Fitapreta Palpite Tinto Reserva 2020

€ 22.95

Here is the impressive Fitapreta Palpite Tinto, which was first produced in 2007 and was called Palpite because it is the Portuguese expression for "feel good". An interesting wine that conveys the story of the terroir in an honest way

This is a wine composed of grapes from the best sun-exposed plots and the tastiest barrels from Fitapreta. The grapes are mainly Alicante Bouschet and Aragonez, but also Castelão, Trincadeira, Alfrocheiro and a little bit Baga, Tinta Carvalha and Touriga Nacional. The vines are between 12 and 60 years old and are on arid shale and granite rich soil. Everything is grown according to sustainable principles, ie without the use of herbicides and without artificial irrigation. All plots are certified within the sustainability program of De Comissão Vitivinícola Regional Alentejana (CVRA).

Food pairing

This is a versatile wine. The lush fruit profile pairs very well with roasted and grilled meats, but the low alcohol levels and lack of oak tannin make it a fine pair for lighter fare like charcuterie and cheese but also fun with strong flavors, like in southeast Asian fare.

Grapes : Alicante Bouschet (27 %), Aragonês (25 %), Castelão (14 %), Trincadeira (14 %), Alfrocheiro (12 %)

The harvest is manual and takes place at night or in the early morning hours to maintain freshness. The grapes are transported to the vineyard in 20kg plastic boxes where the bunches are cleaned before all stems are removed. The grapes drop without crushing into the stainless steel fermentation tanks where they are spontaneously transformed into wine with no extraneous yeast strains, but with the addition of a little locally propagated yeast at the end to ensure you hit the dry expression that is part of Fitapreta's signature . The wine is aged for 18 months in mostly used neutral barrels (to protect the fruit and the regional DNA) after which the final cuvée is blended and bottled.

Alcohol content

14,4 %vol

pH: 3,54

Store & Serve

Serve at 16 °C .

From now to at least 6 years after harvest year to drink

Critics & Awards

94/100 - Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate

Gorgeous, this is velvety, chock-full of fruit and rather sexy overall while keeping its balance. This is more of a traditional Alentejo red, although relatively restrained. Multilayered and long on the finish, this has the structure to age too. I'd bet it will hold for two decades. Mark Squires - Juli 2022

Tags: Fitapreta Vinhos - Alentejo