Companhia dos Profetas e Vilões Vinho da Corda 2022

Porto santo & Profetas

The island of Porto Santo emerged 14 million years ago in the Atlantic Ocean, being geologically one of the oldest islands in the Portuguese archipelagos. It was also the first to be discovered by Zarco in 1418. The ancients say it was here that the rippest grapes were harvested for the wine that made these islands famous. Today there are less than 14 hectars left, farmed by a group of resistants. In the neighbour island the people of Porto Santo are known as Prophets, an ancient nickname that has never made more sense when you see these old vineyards planted by the sea, close to the ground, protected from the ocean and the wind by crochet rock walls or by ingenious cane structures.

Vinho da Corda dos Profetas

The "vinho da corda" was an ancient method of preparing fortified wines before the introduction of brandy fortification in the mid-17th century. Vineyards closer to the sea achieved greater ripeness, resulting in naturally concentrated must. This technique involved separating the lighter, fresher vinho flor and extracting the golden and intense "vinho da corda" from the final pressings, popular at the time. Our Vinho da Corda originates from sunny Porto Santo vineyards, showcasing the islands potential for rich, authentic, and naturally oxidative wines.

The grapes were hand-harvested and vinified for the first time on the island of Porto Santo. Strict selection in the vineyard, with some vineyards harvested more than once, picking the ripest grapes first and the remaining ones in a second harvest. Whole bunches were pressed directly into settling tanks, separting three fractions, without any use of SO2 until the end of fermentation, to allow for pre-oxidation of the must and a fuller spontaneous fermentation. The last fraction of the press, called o mosto da Corda, was transferred to old Porto Santo wine barrels.

Aged 12 months in old barrels.

Golden yellow color, almost copper, very intense nose, caramelized salt, somewhere between a Madeira and a Jerez wine, unique and singular, with metalic, iodized and intense notes. Full-bodied, full on the palate, super concentrated with a lot of persistence.

Pairs well with rich, spicy and fine dishes, such as octopus stew, and fish stew.