Indie Xisto Tinto 2020 (Luis Seabra)

Cellar for 15 years or more. Decant for up to an hour before serving. This is a brooding Portuguese red, with a savoury nose of ripe red and blue fruits, forest floor and stone. It is a single-vineyard medley, crafted from 30% Touriga Franca and 30% Tinto Roriz - the remaining portion is made up of Touriga’s close cousins and several other varieties of native red grape. Luis Seabra is one of the leaders of the Portuguese wine renaissance, farming a modest amount of land spread across 3 regions: Vinho Verde, Douro and Dao. In the Douro, Luis played an instrumental part in introducing still wine to the region, going against 300 years of tradition that kept Douro stuck in the world of fortified wine. Despite this, Luis Seabra’s Indie Xisto Tinto manages to maintain the spirit of Port - it is a complex blend, made from an almost uncountable number of grape varieties, and can be stored in the cellar for well over a decade. On the palate, you can discover a layered combination of red and blue fruits, supplemented by notes of cracked white and black peppercorns and green herbs. The fruits were processed traditionally - with foot-treading in stone troughs, before 18 months of ageing in French oak. Consider pairing this grippy, delicious wine with smoked cheese or wild game. It’s an excellent choice for those looking to explore overlooked red grapes.