Quinta de Cidro Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2024
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
creamy mushroom risotto, roasted chicken, grilled salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
Quinta de Cidro, located in the high-altitude zone of São João da Pesqueira within the Douro region, has a rich history dating back to its foundation by the Marquis of Soveral. Acquired by Real Companhia Velha in 1972, this estate became a pioneering ground for international grape varieties in Portugal. Situated at elevations reaching up to 600 meters, the vineyards benefit from cool mountain breezes and significant diurnal temperature shifts, allowing Chardonnay to thrive while retaining its essential acidity. The Quinta de Cidro Chardonnay is crafted using traditional Burgundian methods, including fermentation and aging in French oak barrels with regular lees stirring (bâtonnage). This process imparts a complex structure, blending the rich, buttery texture of oak-aged Chardonnay with the mineral-driven freshness characteristic of the Douro's schist soils.
🍾 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
Chardonnay
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13-14%