Wine & Soul Douro - Manoella Branco 2022

Located in the heart of the Douro Valley, Portugal’s best-known wine region, Wine & Soul spans several picturesque vineyards. This innovative yet rustic winery was founded by Jorge Serôdio Borges and his wife Sandra Tavares da Silva, both of whom wished to channel their extensive experience into a winery that would showcase the traditional varieties and terroir of the Douro Valley on an international level.

Initially, Wine & Soul consisted of a lone vineyard, Pintas, located in the Cima Corgo's prized Pinhão Valley. Throughout the years, it expanded to include additional properties, such as the magnificent Quinta da Manoella. Parcels of 80-year-old vines are tucked into terraces carved out by dynamite a century ago. Walls built from the displaced schist border the vines, preventing erosion and enhancing the idyllic landscape.

Wine & Soul has received considerable critical praise for its character-driven wines, all of which represent the exceptional terroir of the Douro region. Natural farming is prioritized, and no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides are used. Irrigation is minimal and performed only by hand, and indigenous yeasts are used for almost all fermentation. Organic certification is pending.

The harvest was planned for the first week of September in perfect weather conditions. All grapes previously selected and de-stemmed were pressed on a pneumatic press and fermented on stainless steel tanks at low temperatures during 4 weeks, after which was aged sur lies during 6 months.

“The 2022 Manoella Branco comes from a high-altitude vineyard on granite soils surrounded by forest in the village of Pombal, with old vines of a field blend of Viosinho, Rabigato, Codega and Gouveio. It was fermented in stainless steel and concrete eggs and kept with fine lees for around six months with bâtonnage to give it more creaminess on the palate, as the wine has higher acidity. It’s elegeant with the austerity and finesse from the granite. They picked early in warm 2022 when only the old vines cushioned the heat, but they kind of stopped. The wine is 12.5% alcohol.” - 91 Points, Wine Advocate 

Producer: Wine & Soul

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro

Varietal: Gouveio, Viosinho, Rabigato, Códega do Larinho

Appellation: Douro

Vintage: 2022

Size: 750ml