Normally, when we buy a wine we don’t know the people behind that creation — at least not on a personal level. However, there is one winery in Douro that stands out from the rest thanks to the proximity between customers and the producer. It’s called MorValley and it’s only available online.
The person responsible is José Carlos Pinto and, on the website, you can easily find his direct contact. “Before, they called me three times a day and now they call me up to 30 times,” he tells NiT. At the end of July, he launched a new label, but it was in September that he began to publicize it on social media. It’s called Vale de Escadas and is a 2020 Reserva red wine. At the end of November, a white one will be launched.
It combines three different grape varieties: Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional. “We are in Baixo Corgo, near Régua, at around 500 meters of altitude. This creates fresher wines and people really like that”, he explains. It has a ruby color and an intense aroma, with strong notes of red fruits and spices. “You can notice a little of the wood, but the fruit is more present”, describes José. It has an alcohol content of 14 percent. It goes well with several dishes, but the producer highlights the baked cod, stating that the pairing is “wonderful”.
Vale de Escadas is only available in a pack of six units. It costs €39. All things considered, each bottle costs approximately €7. If you buy two boxes, you receive a custom wooden cutting board. You can purchase the new Vale de Escadas wine on the MorValley website.