2019 Ramos Pinto Duas Quintas Douro Tinto

Ramos Pinto has been making Port in the Douro since 1880. A century later, José Ramos Pinto Rosas and winemaker João Nicolau de Almeida did the homework that changed Douro winemaking: they planted the region's native grapes variety by variety to find out which ones made the best wine. Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca came out on top, and they are the backbone of this bottle.

Duas Quintas means "two estates." Quinta de Ervamoira sits low and hot in the Douro Superior, by the Côa River. Quinta dos Bons Ares sits up high, where the nights run cooler. Ervamoira brings the ripe fruit; Bons Ares brings the freshness.

2019 started dry and warm, then a mild August and September gave the grapes extra time on the vine. Each variety and plot was fermented separately in granite lagares, oak vats, concrete and steel, then aged about 12 months, mostly in steel and large vats, with just 20% in French barrels. Fruit up front, oak in the background.

This is the Douro red to open on a Tuesday night. It's ready now. Pull the cork and pour.