The Douro Superior vineyards are known for their barren landscapes, where it almost never rains. Especially the vineyards near the river (Douro) have a very low production rate but produce amazing fruit.
Marcio Lopes' tribute to an endangered grape variety.
The Marufo grape variety, very present in old vineyards, has been used in the best cuvées since 2012. With grapes coming from the Douro Superior, from a 30-year-old vineyard, Marcio Lopes has found a vineyard planted almost exclusively with the Marufo (Mourisco) variety. Marufo Proibido has been available since the 2018 vintage and always in very small quantities.
Vinification: After hand picking and transport in small boxes (18 kg-20 kg) to the winery, the grapes are pressed in small granite basins (lagares) with bare (clean) feet. Fermentation started spontaneously and lasted about 20 days. The grapes were stored in the lagares for about 2 months.
Tasting Note: This wine has an aroma of red fruits with light smoky notes. With some tannins, this wine will develop very well in the bottle.
Harmonization and longevity: This is a challenge for gastronomy. It can be drunk immediately or for the next 5 to 10 years as long as it is stored cool, dry, protected from light and without temperature fluctuations.
The imaginative name 'Proibido' (meaning 'forbidden' in English) pays homage to a very old man from whom Márcio bought his very first grapes in 2010. This man cultivated a small 80-year-old vineyard, but also had a secret past: namely, during the Salazar dictatorship, he survived mainly by smuggling near the border to Spain and so Márcio decided to call the wines from his grapes “Proibido”. After the old man died, Márcio bought the vineyard.
