# Silk & Spice Red Blend (2022)

- **Producer:** Sogrape Vinhos
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet, Baga
- **Region:** Portugal
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €11
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 15–17 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** plum, blackberry, blackcurrant, cherry, vanilla, coffee

## About this wine

Silk & Spice is produced by Sogrape Vinhos, Portugal's leading wine estate established in 1940 by Fernando van Zeller Guedes. The wine pays tribute to the 15th- and 16th-century Portuguese explorers who mapped the maritime trade routes connecting Europe and Asia. Vasco da Gama's 1498 discovery of the Spice Route brought nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper to the Western world. Sourced from premier growing regions across Portugal including Dão, Bairrada, Lisboa, and the Douro Valley, Silk & Spice showcases the richness and global appeal of indigenous Portuguese grape varieties.

## Interesting facts

- Pays homage to Vasco da Gama's 1498 discovery of the maritime Spice Route to Asia.
- Combines grapes from distinct Portuguese terroirs, including granite, limestone, and schist soils.
- Created by Sogrape Vinhos, the renowned producer behind Mateus and Sandeman.

## Food pairing

The medium-plus body, ripe fruit profile, and smooth tannins of this red blend harmonize naturally with rich savory proteins and tomato-based sauces. The soft structure cuts through rich meat fats without overwhelming the dish.

## Wine making process

Grapes are harvested at optimal maturity and kept strictly separate by variety. Winemaking begins with complete destemming and gentle crushing, followed by temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats over eight days at 26°C. Soft extraction is achieved through gentle pumping over. Post-fermentation, the wine is racked to separate rough sediments and matured in stainless steel tanks to maintain fresh fruit characteristics, with select lots undergoing aging in American oak vats. The final blend is lightly filtered prior to bottling.