Onda Nova Syrah 2007

Vintage Note:
The weather was kind during the early part of the growing season allowing for even budburst. Some unsettled weather from flowering through to fruit set initially gave cause for concern but this proved unfounded as we had a very good berry set and some lovely bunch formations. Although winter rainfall was about average, coming after a dry year it had more of an effect on the vines than normal giving them more vigour and a tendency to overproduce canopy. This resulted in a lot of canopy management operations to keep the root, shoot and fruit ratio in balance especially on our more established vineyards. Post fruit set and through to early ripening the weather was excellent as usual. An August heat spike retarded some of the ripening and the plants had to be irrigated to keep turgor in the berry, avoid canopy shut down and allow us more hang time to ripen the tannins. Sugars, as usual were excellent at between 12.5 and 13.5 Be at the end of August when we
commenced harvest on the Whites and Rosés. Harvest was hot at the start but cooling off through September. A small amount of insignificant rainfall also occurred but did little more than clean the bunches. As we had an (average) wet year coming after the dry one the plants were very productive. The yield was above average on the Rosé blocks; this would also have been the case on all the other blocks had we not done up to 3 passes to remove fruit. 2 passes on white and red grapes, 3 passes on reserve blocks. The wines are looking good, the components are big but even. The Rosé is fruity with less residual sugar than in previous years (approx 10g/l). White is excellent; again with less residual sugar than last year; and alcohol levels on the reds are high but matched by acid, fruit intensity and structure and therefore very well balanced.

Technical Specifications:
Country of Origin: Portugal
Region: Lagoa, Algarve.
Appellation: Vinho Regional Algarvio
Wine Style: Red table wine
Varietal Constituents: 100% Syrah from selected blocks
Bottling and Maturation: 18 months in a mix of Stainless steel and French and American oak barrels. Bottled in February 2009.
Harvest: 2007
Vineyard Area: 10Ha
Soil Type: Free draining sandy loam. Red Clays

Wine Analyses:
Alcohol: 14%v/v
Res Sugar: 2.5 g/l
Volatile Acidity: 0.45g/l
Total Acidity: 6.1g/l
pH: 3.63
Total So2: 58mg/l
Temperature: For serving: 18ºC
Accompaniment: Light and dark meats, stews and spicy curries.
Bottles produced: 19,660 bottles.
Price: €8.50 per bottle at the cellar door

Organoleptic characteristics:
Appearance: Impressive deep, dark red colour, almost opaque in the middle with purple tinges.
Nose: Still closed but with hints of a spicy, gamey bouquet, black stone fruit, and nuances of liquorice, cedar wood, tobacco and mint.
Palate: Soft, structured, supple palate with savoury notes, good concentration and body, integrated oak, nicely textured with a long firm finish Drinking young in bottle but will greatly improve over the next 3 to 5 years. Very food friendly.

Winemaking Notes: Our purpose at the Adega do Cantor is to make wines that reflect the warmth, colour and diversity of our region; wines to partner fantastic cuisine. This wine is handpicked from selected blocks of Syrah and batch fermented at cool temperatures in open lagars with gentle robotic cap plunging. It is then matured in a combination of 2 year old French Oak barrels and stainless steel for 18 months prior to release.

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