Quinta de Passagem
Starting from the heart of the Douro Valley and following the course of the Douro River upstream, you reach the area known as the Douro Superior, which borders Spain. It was here that the Bergqvist family acquired Quinta de Passagem in 2005, located close to the river, not far from the village of Pocinho. Their partner in this joint venture is Jorge Moreira, a long-standing oenologist at Quinta de la Rosa.
Nine hectares are old vineyards planted with a mixture of indigenous grape varieties bearing rarely heard names: Viosinho, Gouveio, Rabigato and Códega do Larinho for the whites, and Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão and Tinta Roriz for the reds. In 2005 and 2006, 20 hectares were newly planted with Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. These relatively young vines are already producing excellent grapes, and with each new vintage, Jorge Moreira succeeds in giving his red and white Passagem even more depth, elegance and expression. Passagem – passage, transition, passageway – is an apt name for a wine from this remote region, where many paths have crossed over the centuries, from prehistoric times (the famous rock carvings of Foz Côa are located here) through the Roman era and the Middle Ages to modern times.
White wines from Quinta de Passagem
Red wines from Quinta de Passagem
from Quinta de Passagem
In oenological terms, the Douro Superior is little known, although it is home to the famous Barca Velha, which caused a sensation in the 1950s and is still considered one of Portugal's finest wines. For Jorge Moreira and Sophia Bergqvist, Quinta de Passagem is certainly an exciting project with a bright future. In any case, every year we can look forward to discovering a new Passagem in red and white, two wines with distinctive individuality.
Producer
Bonvin
High above Sion, on the Clos du Château, is the heart of the oldest wine trading house in Valais – today's winery Charles Bonvin SA. The view sweeps over the wide Rhone valley, meets the two castle hills of Tourbillon and Valère and grazes on the magnificent Valais vine landscape with its countless terraces.
Nyetimber
For the last quarter-century, England has played a very special role in the world of wines – an exotic in moist and chilly northern Europe.
Château Raymond Lafon
Located in the heart of the Sauternes area, this winery comprises 18 hectares, 16 of which planted with 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The maximum yield by law is 25 hectolitres per hectare. The yields at Raymond-Lafon average only 8 to 10 hectolitres per hectare; in other words, one vine will produce only one glass of delicious wine. Over several pickings, the grapes are harvested one by one according to their level of maturity. In some years, this can result in up to ten selected hand harvests. This alone lets one appreciate the great value of this wine.