Winery: Quinta dos Roques

Country / Region: Portugal / Dao

Date Winery was established: 1980s

Grape Variety: Touriga Nacional 40%, Jaen 25%, Alfrocheiro 25%, Tinta Roriz 5% and Tinto Cão 5%

Year the vintage was first released: 1990

Alcohol Content / Volume: 13% / 750ml

Ratings: 91 pts. Tim Atkin

Good to know: Quinta dos Roques is a family-owned winery in Portugal’s Dão region, known for its pioneering work with native grape varieties and single-varietal wines. Since the 1980s, the estate has combined tradition with innovation, cultivating 35 hectares of vineyards and producing a diverse range of high-quality wines. With a focus on both red and white indigenous grapes, Quinta dos Roques crafts expressive wines that reflect the character of the region. Today, the winery exports globally and remains committed to meticulous, small-scale production that highlights the elegance and complexity of Dão wines.

Quinta dos Roques Colheita Red 2022 is a classic, impeccably balanced expression of Portugal’s granite-rich Dão region, celebrated for its freshness, elegance, and longevity. Built around a quintessential regional blend led by Touriga Nacional (~50%) alongside Alfrocheiro, Jaen, Tinta Roriz, and a splash of Tinto Cão, it spends around six months maturing in French oak barrels to polish its structure without overwhelming its native character. The bouquet is expressive and fragrant, revealing aromas of wild blackberries, dark plums, and violet florals interwoven with classic Dão hallmarks of pine forest needles, crushed rock, and subtle whispers of cedar and spice. On the palate, it trades heavy extraction for poise and lift, delivering juicy dark fruit framed by youthful, fine-grained tannins and vibrant mountain acidity that carry through to a long, savory, and mineral-edged finish.