In the glass
What it pairs with
-
Roast lamb
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Structure and herbs with lamb. -
Grilled beef
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Fine tannins carry red meat. -
Aged cheese
Concentration for strong cheese.
How to serve Alves de Sousa Abandonado
Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Roast lamb, Grilled beef, Aged cheese. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Abandonado comes from old vines on a terraced plot that had been left abandoned, recovered by the family.
- 2000 — First Abandonado vintage
Facts
- Producer
- Domingos Alves de Sousa
- Grapes
- Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cao
- Classification
- DOC Douro
- Oak
- Aged around 18 months in new French oak
- ABV
- 14.5%
- Price
- EUR 60 to 100 at retail
- Drinking window
- 8 to 25 from vintage
- First vintage
- 2000
Scores
- Wine Advocate 94 (2017 vintage, reviewed 2020)
Frequently asked about Alves de Sousa Abandonado
What does Alves de Sousa Abandonado taste like?
Structurally full-bodied, firm tannins, high acidity with a long finish. A prestigious old-vine red from a once-abandoned terraced vineyard, dense and mineral with graphite and savoury spice, built for long ageing.
When should I drink Alves de Sousa Abandonado?
Drink 8 to 25 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Alves de Sousa Abandonado?
Roast lamb is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Grilled beef and Aged cheese. Structure and herbs with lamb.
Is Alves de Sousa Abandonado vegan?
No: the producer uses traditional animal-derived fining agents (typically egg whites or isinglass) during clarification, so the wine is not vegan.
What grapes are in Alves de Sousa Abandonado?
The blend is Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cao. The wine is classified as DOC Douro.