SAN FRANCISCO, May 22, 2019 – Symington Family Estates, the leading and historic Port producer based in Oporto, Portugal, is pleased to announce that it is launching Quinta da Fonte Souto DOC, a prestige table wine brand from Portalegre, a sub-region in the Alto Alentejo region of Southern Portugal. The wines will be available in the US market late summer 2019 and include:
- 2017 Quinta da Fonte Souto, Tinto, DOC Alentejo, Portalegre — a red blend of Alicante Bouschet, Tinta Amarela, Alfrocheiro, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah (SRP $30)
- 2017 Quinta da Fonte Souto, Branco Alentejo, Portalegre — a white blend of Arinto and Verdelho (SRP $30).
- 2017 “Vinha do Souto,” Quinta da Fonte Souto, DOC Alentejo, Portalegre — a super premium blend of Alicante Bouschet and Syrah (SRP $60), the flagship wine from the estate
The Symington family acquired the 511 acre estate in the Portalegre subregion of the Alentejo area of southern Portugal in 2017, its first purchase outside of the Douro Valley. This property includes 106 acres of mature vineyards located at an altitude of 1,600-1,800 feet within the São Mamede National Park that rises to 3,400 feet, the highest mountain range in the South of Portugal. As result vineyards enjoy a cooler climate than most areas of the Alentejo and bring a bright and refreshing quality to the wines.
“Quinta da Fonte Souto is a wonderful terroir in one of the finest wine making sub-regions of Portugal,” noted Rupert Symington, CEO Symington Family Estates. “We are excited to know that the wines we have made at our estate near Portalegre are of the exacting quality standards that we aspire to in our top Douro estates, while displaying distinct characteristics of the local varietals and soils.The superb quality of this mountain vineyard combined with the success of the region is an ideal platform from which to launch our first red and white wines from outside the Douro.”
The Alentejo DOC is the largest wine region in Portugal in terms of production and sales, and with the Douro Valley it is one of the most recognized regions in Portugal for its red wines. Charles Symington is the winemaker for the Fonte Souto wines, as he is for the family’s Douro estate wines. His approach includes low yielding vineyards and limited production to ensure wines of the highest quality. The Fonte Souto label expands the Symington Family Estates’ table wine portfolio outside the Douro Valley where their table wine brands include Quinta do Vesuvio, Quinta do Ataide, Altano Douro and Prats & Symington.
About Symington Family Estates The Symingtons of Scottish, English and Portuguese descent have been Port producers in northern Portugal since 1882. For five generations they have combined their passion for producing premium Ports and wines with a deep commitment to the region’s land and people. Today ten Symingtons work across their four famous Port houses – Graham’s, Cockburn’s, Dow’s and Warre’s – as well as their Douro wine projects – Quinta do Vesuvio, Quinta do Ataíde, Altano and Prats & Symington (of Chryseia fame) – and a new venture, Quinta da Fonte Souto in the Alto Alentejo.
Symington Family Estates is a leading premium Port producer and the family is the leading vineyard owners in the Douro Valley, with 26 Quintas covering 5,527 acres and 2,530 acres of vineyard. Their vineyards are managed under sustainable viticulture practices and 276 acres are organically farmed, the largest area of organic vineyard in the Douro. Symington Family Estates is unique amongst the major Port companies in that each working family member farms their own vineyard, alongside those under the family’s joint company ownership.
