Xisto Roquette & Cazes 2003

  • 93 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 92 Wine
    Spectator
3.2 Good (5)
Sold Out - was $48.99
OFFER 10% off your order of $99+
Ships Tue, Mar 26
You purchased this 9/17/20
0
Limit Reached
You purchased this 9/17/20
Alert me about new vintages and availability
Xisto Roquette & Cazes  2003 Front Label
Xisto Roquette & Cazes  2003 Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2003

Size
750ML

Your Rating

0.0 Not For Me NaN/NaN/N

Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

Xisto, a singular, new, limited production, ultra-premium red wine from Portugal making its debut with the 2003 vintage, is the fruit of a long-standing friendship between the internationally renowned Bordelais wine producer, Jean-Michel Cazes of Lynch-Bages, and Jorge Roquette, owner of the Quinto do Crasto estate in Portugal's Upper Douro Valley, which has been hailed as a leader in current revitalization of Portuguese wine industry.

A blend of three classic grape varieties traditionally identified with Portugal's Upper Douro Valley: Touriga Nacional - 60%; Tinta Roriz - 25%; Touriga Franca - 15%

Professional Ratings

  • 93
    The joint venture between the Cazes family of Bordeaux and the Roquette family of Quinta do Crasto in the Douro is in its second released vintage. This is made using Bordeaux techniques, resulting in a style that is more structured than many Douro wines, exploiting ripe fruit with solid tannins, leavened by sweetness and sweet red fruits. The wood shows through on the finish.
  • 92
    Concentrated and ripe, with layers of rich fruit flavors of dark plum, dark cherry, blackberry and mocha. Balanced and structured, with an elegant finish of cream, chocolate and spice. Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca. Drink now through 2015.

Other Vintages

2004
  • 90 Robert
    Parker
Xisto Roquette & Cazes

Xisto Roquette & Cazes

View all products
Xisto Roquette & Cazes, Portugal
Xisto Roquette & Cazes Winery Image
Xisto, a singular, new, limited production, ultra-premium red wine from Portugal, is the fruit of a long-standing friendship between the internationally renowned Bordelais wine producer Jean-Michel Cazes and Jorge Roquette, owner of the highly acclaimed Quinto do Crasto estate in Portugal's Upper Douro Valley. The Roquette family has played a highly instrumental role in the revitalization now underway within Portuguese wine industry.

Pronounced "shees-toe," this new wine is named for the Portuguese word for "schist," a reference to the nature of the soil in the steep, terraced vineyards that rise majestically above the banks of the Douro River.

Image for Other Red Blends content section
View all products

With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.

How to Serve Red Wine

A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.

How Long Does Red Wine Last?

Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.

Image for Portuguese Wine  content section
View all products

Best known for intense, impressive and age-worthy fortified wines, Portugal relies almost exclusively on its many indigenous grape varieties. Bordering Spain to its north and east, and the Atlantic Ocean on its west and south coasts, this is a land where tradition reigns supreme, due to its relative geographical and, for much of the 20th century, political isolation. A long and narrow but small country, Portugal claims considerable diversity in climate and wine styles, with milder weather in the north and significantly more rainfall near the coast.

While Port (named after its city of Oporto on the Atlantic Coast at the end of the Douro Valley), made Portugal famous, Portugal is also an excellent source of dry red and white Portuguese wines of various styles.

The Douro Valley produces full-bodied and concentrated dry red Portuguese wines made from the same set of grape varieties used for Port, which include Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Spain’s Tempranillo), Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cão, among a long list of others in minor proportions.

Other dry Portuguese wines include the tart, slightly effervescent Vinho Verde white wine, made in the north, and the bright, elegant reds and whites of the Dão as well as the bold, and fruit-driven reds and whites of the southern, Alentejo.

The nation’s other important fortified wine, Madeira, is produced on the eponymous island off the North African coast.

SWS138973_2003 Item# 93515

Internet Explorer is no longer supported.
Please use a different browser like Edge, Chrome or Firefox to enjoy all that Wine.com has to offer.

It's easy to make the switch.
Enjoy better browsing and increased security.

Yes, Update Now

Search for ""