Douro Tinto, Quinta do Javali “Clos Fonte do Santo” 2019

António Mendes, Sr. is flying the flag for what the modern era of Portuguese winemaking looks like. Long known for sweet and fortified Port and big, burly red table wines, the Douro is home to a select few producers like Mendes quietly making light and vibrant wines. His Quinta do Javali is located in Ervedosa do Douro in the Cima Corgo, regarded as the heart of quality wine production in the Douro.

Javali is the Portuguese word for wild pigs, and it's an apt name for the estate as boars actually till the vineyards. The Clos Fonte do Santo is the highest vineyard António farms, reaching 700 meters in elevation, and is a true oasis in the sky, with a natural spring (fonte) and wild mushrooms growing in pure schist. More than 30 varieties grow here, and they're combined into a delicious representation of Douro past and future.