Seductively fresh and floral aromas of rose, secondary notes of clove and very discreet and well-integrated smoky flavours, show a perfect harmony between the usage of oak and the rest of the aromatic bouquet. The rich and fruit filled palate (blackberry, blueberry, black plum) and natural acidity of the wine give it a good weight and balance. Refined and well present tannins provide the imposing structure we are used to in Quinta do Vesúvio wines.

Following a succession of very hot and dry years in the Douro, the 2021 growth cycle and harvest were some of the coolest in recent years. While large areas of Europe experienced extreme heat (with July being the hottest ever recorded in the continent), the Douro experienced an unusually cool summer with none of the heat waves that have become common in the region. Moderate conditions in 2021 encouraged slower, gradual maturations with balanced ripening, while the harvest itself was defined by three key periods of rain impacting our picking schedule. The remarkably cool nights contributed to excellent acidity and very good colour in the wines.

One of the principal components of Pombal do Vesuvio comes from the terraced vineyards that surround the ancient dovecote (‘pombal’ in Portuguese) planted primarily with Touriga Nacional during 2000 in the heart of this legendary Douro property. Touriga Franca from the Vale da Teja and Minas vineyards is the other significant contributor to the Pombal, along with a smaller contribution from the Tinta Amarela from the Quinta Nova vineyard.

The three months leading up to the vintage were among the hottest and driest ever recorded in the Douro, with a succession of heatwaves, unprecedented in their scope and duration. We had — until the end of August — 70% less rainfall than the 30-year average and the soils were visibly parched. However, it was quite extraordinary just how well the vines were looking with few vineyards showing signs of hydric stress - a testament to their resilience and adaptability to harsh conditions. September brought a considerable drop in temperatures both by day and by night, and the importance of this cannot be overstated, easing the strain on the vines, and providing propitious conditions for maturations to progress.

There has been a station on the main line Douro railroad at Quinta do Vesúvio since 1887 and the trains that daily call there are very much part of the property’s day to day life. This railway forms part of Vesúvio’s rich heritage and when the Symington family decided to launch this third dry red wine from the legendary estate, it felt only natural to evoke the propitious coexistence between railway and vineyard. The ‘Comboio do Vesúvio’ (Vesúvio Train) is unoaked to underscore the wine’s youthful, fruit forward profile.

The three months leading up to the vintage were among the hottest and driest ever recorded in the Douro, with a succession of heatwaves, unprecedented in their scope and duration. We had — until the end of August — 70% less rainfall than the 30-year average and the soils were visibly parched. However, it was quite extraordinary just how well the vines were looking with few vineyards showing signs of hydric stress - a testament to their resilience and adaptability to harsh conditions. September brought a considerable drop in temperatures both by day and by night, and the importance of this cannot be overstated, easing the strain on the vines, and providing propitious conditions for maturations to progress. It is incredible that the Douro has come through such trying conditions, delivering wines at a level of quality that many would not have believed possible at the start of the vintage.

Whilst world climatic records continued to be broken (hottest ever April), in the Douro conditions were relatively moderate through most of the spring and the first half of the summer. Spring temperatures were either close to or marginally below average, and there was no drought through the season, even though rainfall was down by half during April and May (following a wet winter which created good soil water reserves). Near normal rainfall in June and July helped to mitigate the effects of some heat spikes and two successive heat waves in July and August. Ideal conditions were in place for well-paced, gradual ripening of the grapes with sugars and acidity in harmony, without the imbalances seen over recent years. Weather conditions through September were near perfect, delivering text-book maturations and a classic sequence of harvesting different grape varieties — each at the optimum point of ripening. Moderate daytime temperatures with cool nights led to ideal phenolic development, good colour and excellent acidity.