Adega Regional de Colares Ramisco Tinto Colares DOC

Colares DOC, Portugal

Pre-phylloxera Ramisco from century-old ungrafted vines in coastal Atlantic sand dunes. Extraordinary: deeply tannic, high-acid, and austere in youth — requires 10–20 years to reveal its extraordinary mineral, iodine, sea-salt, and blackcurrant complexity. A wine from another era — pre-phylloxera Ramisco is one of wine's greatest untranslatable originals. Tiny production.

Pairing intelligence

• starter: The ultimate Colares pairing; barnacles from the same Atlantic coastline that shapes the wine; iodine and mineral in both
• main: Atlantic seafood and Atlantic wine; aged Ramisco's evolved complexity bridges the rich garlic-coriander seafood soup
• cheese: Ancient Portuguese cheese with ancient Portuguese wine; Colares Ramisco's evolved mineral and tannin elevate the washed-rind sheep's cheese