João Brito e Cunha occupies a special place among the new generation of Portuguese oenologists and wine producers. His Quinta de S. José, in Ervedosa, on the south bank of the heart of the Douro, has given the wine lovers numerous joyful and grateful moments.
In 2005, this descendant of “Ferreirinha”, a mythical character of the Douro Wines, has acquired from his brothers the 10 hectares of vineyard cultivated in the Estate in order to fulfill his calling.
He had been an oenologist in Cockburns, a historical company in Oporto, and had acquired a valuable international professional experience in Barrosa Valley in Australia. With such an impressive background, he was more than ready to lead the project his father had started in 1999 and soon he started to gain the preference of the wine lovers.
His portfolio engulfs a brand of white wines (Flor de S. José), one other of red ones (that were named after the Quinta) and a third one, S.J., used in one Port Vintage Wine.
The canonic wine Guide signed by João Paulo Martins gives all of them high scores. On the Flor de S. José Reserva 2014, a lot of Rabigado and Gouveio, the critic writes that “it is a mid-season white (…) mineral, austere, reserved, (…) serious, very interesting to taste”.
The Quinta de São José wines, banner of the house, are divided into red, Touriga Nacional red, Reserva red and Grande Reserva red. The red is a fresh wine, fruity, floral and mineral, with a great gastronomical aptitude. The Touriga Nacional, of the great variety of the Douro wines, was selected by the journalist Joshua Greene to integrate the lot of the 50 Great Portuguese Wines USA 2013. The wine is beautifully described by João Paulo Martins: “Through the aroma we feel we are in the presence of Touriga Nacional, but in a dense version, where the floral hints combine perfectly with the ripe fruit (…) Despite being serious on the outside it is also very attractive”.
Both the Reserva and the Grande Reserva mix Touriga Nacional with Touriga Franca, another outstanding variety of Douro wines. The difference lies on the fact that, in the latter, the grapes are fermented in wine presses by foot treading. Both of them age 12 months in French oak barrels. The first was recognized with the Grand Gold medal in the Portugal Wine Trophy 2014, the Gold medal and the Douro Trophy in the International Wine Challenge 2013, among other awards. The latter has earned the 3rd place in the Essência do Vinho 2014 Top 10, and the Gold medal in the Concurso de Vinhos de Portugal 2014. Both wines express the connection between the two Tourigas, concentrated in the color, with floral hints, very elegant, giving excellent tasting.
A Port could not be missing in an estate that is situated between Quinta da Romaneira and Quinta de Roriz. Classified with 91 Parker points, the Vintage 2013 is described in the previously referred Guide as “very dense in the color and in the aroma, we can feel dark fruits and spices in the aroma, hints of pepper”. It should be stored.
Despite the brand’s short history, the Quinta de São José wines have accumulated numerous distinctions in national and international festivals, integrating the tops of several journalists in the field. That journey reveals us a small sample of the outstanding performance of João Brito e Cunha, worthy descendant of Dona Antónia Ferreira, the Great lady of the Douro region.
