Quinta de Cidro Alvarinho
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2024
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
grilled sea bass, seafood risotto, fresh goat cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Quinta de Cidro, located in São João da Pesqueira, is one of the Douro's most historic and revolutionary estates. Acquired by Real Companhia Velha in 1972, this property became a pioneering ground for non-traditional grape varieties in the region. Situated at an altitude of up to 600 meters, the vineyard benefits from cool breezes and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts, which contrast sharply with the scorching heat of the Douro Valley floor. This unique microclimate proved perfect for Alvarinho, a grape traditionally celebrated in the rainy northwest of Portugal. Here, grown in clay-slate soils, the Alvarinho grape develops a highly structured, mineral-driven character. The winemaking process typically involves fermentation in stainless steel to preserve the grape's intense primary fruit and vibrant acidity, sometimes accompanied by fine lees contact to add texture and complexity. The result is a wine that beautifully marries the aromatic intensity of the variety with the profound mineral depth of the Douro terroir.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1756 by Royal Charter of King José I under the guidance of the Marquis of Pombal, Real Companhia Velha is the oldest and most historic wine enterprise in Portugal. With its storied maturation cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia and sprawling estate vineyards across the Douro Valley, the company was central to the creation of the world's first officially demarcated wine region. Managed for decades by the Silva Reis family, the producer balances centuries-old tradition with modern enology across acclaimed estates such as Quinta das Carvalhas, Quinta de Cidrô, and Quinta dos Aciprestes. Real Companhia Velha is renowned globally for its distinguished portfolio of classic Port wines—including aged Tawnies, Colheitas, and Vintage Ports—as well as elegant, terroir-driven Douro DOC still wines.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Alvarinho
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13-13.5%