Infantado Ruby Porto

Quinta do Infantado, based in Pinhão, has been a leader in estate-bottled Ports since 1979. Run by the brother and sister team of João and Catherine Roseira, Infantado is famous for producing ports that are “meio-seco” or medium-dry in style. They have more natural alcohol and less sugar than other ports, meaning that less “aguardente” or grape brandy has to be added. The wines are therefore more vinous (still wine-like), more balanced, and drier than most ports. The wines are made exclusively from their own vineyards and are bottled at the estate, and the vineyards are worked in traditional methods, including handpicking the grapes. The wine is aged in a variety of tonel and balseiro, which are tall wooden tanks from 3,000-60,000 liters with thick staves that slow down oxidation. It finishes at a modest 19.5% alcohol, and 70 grams/liter of residual sugar- in other words considerably drier than most rubies. It’s dark, rich, and plummy, with excellent balance of fruit, acid, and tannins without being sugary or jammy.