2016 Quinta Do Crasto Touriga Franca
2016 Quinta Do Crasto Touriga Franca One of a series of single-varietal wines from this producer, this wine celebrates one of the essential grapes of the Douro region. It is a balanced, rich, black-fruit dominated, while also succulent wine. Generous tannins have been softened by the wood aging into a luxurious texture. Drink the wine now.
Quinta Do Crasto
Located in a prime spot in the Douro Demarcated Region in Northern Portugal, Quinta do Crasto has been in the family of Leonor and Jorge Roquette for more than a century. Like all the other great Douro estates, Quinta do Crasto dates far back into ancient times. The name Crasto comes from the Latin castrum meaning “Roman fort”.
The earliest records mentioning Quinta do Crasto and its wine production date back to 1615. It later received Feitoria status (the highest vineyard classification of the time), together with the other noteworthy estates of the Douro Valley. Between 1758 and 1761, the Marquis of Pombal ordered the installation of 335 granite markers – each standing two metres high and 30 x 20 centimetres – to delineate the first ever Demarcated Region in the world. One of these stone pillars, or “marcos pombalinos” in Portuguese, dates back to 1758 and can still be seen today at the Quinta do Crasto nearby the century-old farm house. In the 1940s, all of these markers were inventoried and declared property of national interest.
In the early 20th century, Quinta do Crasto was bought by Constantino de Almeida, founder of the renowned Constantino wine house dedicated to the production and export of Port wine and brandy as well. Their slogan “A fama do Constantino já vem de longe” (“The fame of Constantino dates far back in the past”) has been so popular that it still remains until today. Following the death of Constantino de Almeida in 1923, his son Fernando Moreira d’Almeida took over the management of Quinta do Crasto and carried on the tradition of producing the highest possible quality Port wine.