Tutored Douro DOC & Port Tasting Wednesday 16 th November 2016 Johnngton Speaker: Johnny Symington (John Andrew Douglas Symington) Joint Managing Director of Symington Family Estates Owners of Graham’s, Cockburn’s, Dow’s, Warre’s, Quinta do Vesuvio, Altano and P + S
www.viniportugal.pt
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JOHN ANDREW DOUGLAS SYMINGTON BIOGRAPHY Johnny Symington is Joint Managing Director of Symington Family Estates which owns some of the world’s leading Port companies including Graham’s, Cockburn’s, Dow’s and Warre’s. The family are the foremost producers of premium quality Ports as well as being the largest owners of vineyards in the Douro with over 1000 hectares in the finest districts. Since 2000 the Symington family have been amongst a new generation of wine makers producing red and white wines in the Douro region with Quinta do Vesuvio, Altano and Chryseia (a joint venture with the Prats family). Johnny is on the Board of John E. Fells & Sons, one of the UK’s lea ding importers of premium wines and is Chairman of Portfolio Vinhos, the leading premium wine distributor in Portugal. The eldest son of Ian and Cynthia Symington, Johnny was born in 1960 in Oporto, becoming one of the fourth generations of Symingtons raised in the Port trade, although his ancestry in Port dates back more than 3 centuries and 13 generations to 1652 through his great-grandmother, Beatriz Atkinson. He was educated at the Oporto British School followed by Downside School in Somerset, England. After school, Johnny joined Smiths Industries Plc and did his Higher National Diploma in Engineering followed by a four year Honours Degree in Business Studies at West London University. Johnny joined Portex Ltd (the Medical Division of Smiths Industries Plc) and for four years was Sales Manager responsible for the Middle East, Far East, Caribbean, Eastern and South Africa, and spent six months living in South Africa setting up their distribution arm. In 1985 Johnny returned to Oporto to join the family Port business. He was subsequently appointed Group Commercial Director and in 1994 was appointed Joint Managing Director. Johnny is a Liveryman in the Vintners Company and is a Freeman of the City of London. He is a member of the Factory House in Oporto where he was Treasurer (President) on two occasions. Johnny Symington lives in Portugal with his wife Helen and they have three children (William, Victoria and Thomas). As well as being Joint Managing Director of his family business, Johnny also farms his own vineyard in the Douro valley. May 2016
Tutored Douro DOC & Port Tasting THE WINES OF SYMINGTON FAMILY ESTATES Wednesday 16 th November 2016 Speaker: Johnny Symington Tasting notes by Head Sommelier Eric LAGRE and Sommelier Magda KOTLARCZYK, WSET Diploma graduates (with the participation of WSET Diploma student Nora ESPINOSA CORONEL) TASTING LIST 2015, ������ , White Wine, Douro DOC 2011, ��� , Prazo de Roriz, Douro DOC 2013, ��� , P ost S criptum de Chryseia, Douro DOC �������� 20 Year Old Tawny Port ����� 2007 Vintage Port ������� 1997 Vintage Port �������� 1985 Vintage Port ������� 1980 Vintage Port
Wine Name: Altano White Wine Vintage: 2015 (bottled in December 2015) Abundant rainfall during November 2014 was followed by an exceptionally dry and cold winter. The dry conditions persisted into the warmer-than-usual spring, which encouraged a precocious start to the growing season. The very dry conditions continued through the summer months. June and July were very hot whilst, fortunately, August was milder, cool night temperatures creating the right conditions for good maturation and even ripening of the grapes. Our winemakers had not seen white grapes of such high quality for years. Good acidity levels were retained hence the wines were well-balanced. Producer: Symington Family Estates www.symington.com In 2011, Symington Family Estates announced that, to enable them to focus on their burgeoning still light wine business in the Douro, they had reduced their shareholding in the Madeira Wine Company, thereby returning control in the running of the company to the Blandy family. Since 1882, five generations of Symingtons have been present in the Douro, where the family was producing Port exclusively until only recently. The year 2000 saw the launch of Altano and Chryseia, the latter brand being made in partnership with the Prats family of Bordeaux. 1999 Altano, 2000 Chryseia and 2002 Post Scriptum were the first Douro DOC wines to be marketed by the Symingtons. Table wine from Quinta do Vesuvio was launched in 2009. Brand: Altano www.altano.pt Winemaker: Charles Symington and Pedro Correia Indication of origin: Douro DOC, Portugal The grapes were sourced from Quinta da Fonte Branca , near Lamego in the Baixo Corgo, south of the Douro River, and selected growers round Alijó and Favaios in the Cima Corgo, north of the Douro, between the Pinhão and Tua tributaries. Style: Crisp and aromatic white wine After de-stemming and a light crushing, some contact between the must and the skin was encouraged in order to extract the desired aromatics. After clarification, the must was fermented at 15-16°C in stainless steel vats with minimum contact with oxygen then the wine was bottled soon after to guarantee the maximum retention of primary aromas and innate freshness. Assemblage: Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Rabigato and Moscatel Galego Alcohol: 13%abv Residual sugar: 1 g/l Total tartaric acidity: 6.1 g/l PH: 3.23 Stopper: Natural Cork Capacity: 75cl Supplier: Fells (Est. 1858) www.fells.co.uk Average UK retail price: £10.00 inc. VAT according to www.wine-searcher.com as of 02/11/16 Appearance: This white wine looks clear and bright. It is pale lemon in colour, with a watery rim. Legs and tears appear along the side of the glass. Nose: The wine smells clean and exhibits a medium intensity of youthful, quite exotic aromas. White peach, leechy and passion fruit form the core fruit character of this wine. Some grassiness, grapiness and a hint of kiwi convey a sense of freshness and a twist of yellow grapefruit a sense of energy. Palate: This medium-minus-bodied wine tastes dry. The medium-plus acidity more than offsets the medium alcohol. There is more orchard fruit than there is exotic fruit on the palate. The green apple and pear of medium intensity is lifted by a twist of lemon rind and yellow grapefruit. One can still taste some white peach and leechy. The underlying grassiness is complimented by some kiwi and unripe pineapple in the finish of medium length. Assessment of quality: This wine is very good. When wines like this wine are fermented at fairly cold temperatures, they can end up tasting slightly artificial and characterless, with ubiquitous notes of pear drop and pineapple. But here, the wine has managed to retain a sense of place and elegance. The fruit intensity, the alcohol and the acidity are in perfect balance. This wine does not prove anything as simple as the retail price would lead one to expect. It is actually good value for money. It is best consumed in the two years that follow bottling. Serve it chilled, ideally between 10 and 12°C and try it with grilled fish, shellfish, cold salads or simply as an aperitif on a hot summer’s day.
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