Xisto
Roquette & Cazes - Douro
Red,Douro
Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, along with other local varieties from Old Vines.
history
Since 2002, the Roquette family (Quinta do Crasto - Douro) has been associated to the Cazes family (Château Lynch-Bages - Pauillac) to produce great wines that ally the natural and unique characteristics of the Douro to the Cazes family’s experience of making top Bordeaux wines. Roquette & Cazes came into being with the 2006 vintage, and has benefitted since its launch from the expertise acquired with Xisto. Its keeping potential differentiates it from its older sibling. More accessible, it is ready to taste as soon as it is put on the market.
Vineyard
32 years old & Schist
Winemaking
The grapes come from the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior subregions. They are hand-harvested and then destemmed and crushed. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel conic vats. Rack and return is performed during fermentation. This French technique means that the juice is drained from the fermenting vat leaving the cap behind. The fermenting juice is then pumped back over the cap, maximizing the skin contact. The result is a concentrated, complex wine that is also elegant and stylish.
Tasting notes
Deep purple in color. Complex on the nose, displaying red fruit aromas, which are in perfect harmony with delicate notes of fresh spice. Intense on the palate, evolving into a wine with an elegant profile, excellent volume and silky tannins, all well integrated with notes of red fruit. The finish is balanced and delivers extraordinary persistence and freshness. A wine made using Bordeaux winemaking techniques without losing the distinctiveness of the Douro.
Food pairing
Aging potential
Grape varieties
Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, along with other local varieties from Old Vines.
Press
Current and upcoming vintage ratings :
201897 Wine Advocate
Previous rating
201594 Wine Advocate
94
2015
The 2015 Xisto, an old-vines field blend released only in certain years, is Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz, all aged for 20 months in French oak. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol. Far too marked by wood just now, this also shows off all of its great potential. Sensual in texture, this concentrated Xisto easily coats the palate and fills the mouth. It shows finesse and balance as well. What it needs at this point is to pull in the wood and acquire complexity. That will only happen with time. While it is balanced enough to drink well right now—it's pretty good!—it needs a couple of years in the cellar to show everything it has. Given the price, you don't want to waste it. Come back around 2023, roughly, for results that might be closer to peak.
Mark Squires - Wine Advocate
Terrisson Wines
195 rue Guy Arnaud
30900 Nîmes - FRANCE
+33 (0)4.66.23.44.22
GOVERNMENT WARNING : (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems