Vale Meao is an historic Quinta that is now one of the front runners in the Douro table wine revolution. It started life in 1877, when the celebrated Dona Antonia Adelaide Ferreira, owner of the largest estate in the Douro (Casa Ferreiriniha), purchased 300 hectares of virgin land in Monte Meao, that had previously belonged to the Vila Nova de Foz Coa town council, in a dramatically remote and inhospitable region, with the dream of creating a world class vineyard from nothing, using her experience gained over a lifetime as a Douro landowner. This ambitious project took some 8 years to complete, from 1887-1895, but sadly Dona Antonia passed away soon after, in 1896.
 
In 1952, the Vale Meao estate was chosen out of the 20 or so estates belonging to Dona Antonia’s descendants by Casa Ferreirinha winemaker Fernando Nicolau de Alemeida as the venue at which they would undertake a new project, to create a top quality dry red wine. This gave rise to the now famous Barca Velha.
 
The estate has been owned by the family ever since. In the 1970s, Dona Antonia’s great-great-great grandson Francisco Javier de Olazabal became responsible for the management of the property and began the long process of acquiring all of the shares from his family and other co-owners, and by 1994, he and his children were the sole owners, and the wines are now produced and marketed as F.Olazabal & Filhos, having previously been sold to A.A. Ferreira, where they formed the basis of some of its finest wines.
 
One of the most important vineyards in Douro history, Meao exists in its current form since 1999, crafting a range of red and white wines, as well as vintage and tawny port and olive oil. Quinta do Vale Meao is made from a rigorous selection of grapes produced in the oldest vineyards of the Quinta: Vale Grande, Cabeco das Pulgas, Casa das Maquinas, Tres Encostas and Poente da Viola, which results in a blend of grape varieties, encompassing 90% Touriga Nacional and Franca – the 2022 is made from a classic blend of 60% Touriga Nacional, 30% Touriga Franca, 5% Tinta Barroca and 5% Tinta Roriz. 2023 also has 60% Touriga Nacional, but has a little less touriga Franca (25% and a litte more Tinta Barroca (10%) alongside the same 5% of Tinta Roriz. Each vineyard and variety is vinified separately, and all the wine is matured for 16-18 months in French Allier oak barriques with 45% new wood.
 
One of Portugal’s cult wines - the vast majority never leaves the country - I have only a very limited quantity available, so do let me know soon if you would like to add a case to your collection. Whilst only very few critics ever get to taste the wine, Luis Gutierrez has scored the 2022 at 95 points, earlier this year. I suspect he will therefore taste the 2023 early in 2026.