Who has not dreamt of the Douro Valley and its vine terraces, its terroirs, the diversity of its varieties and its ancestral traditions that make it such a unique and magical place? Jacques and Francois Lurton fell in love at first sight with this rocky terroir, where the climate is one of extremes, making work with the vine an arduous task - a true love story, made of encounters, exchanges and sharing, emerged between this land, its inhabitants and the Lurton brothers.
In 2004, J&F Lurton made their first two wines in (the superior middle section of) the DO Douro, with the help of their friends, the "Lavradores de Feitoria", a group of producers led by Count Matteus and advised by Dirk van der Niepoort. Pilheiros and Pilheiros Grande Escolha are the fruit of this cooperation and, above all, this friendship.
Pilheiros, a rather strange name for a wine you may think, is the Portuguese name for the holes and cracks in the low walls supporting the terraces, where grape vines were once relegated to grow while 'more important' crops reigned on the terrace surfaces. The wines are thus the living testimony of a long winegrowing tradition and its technical evolution.
- Barco Negro is a blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional.
- Pilheiros, a blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional, grown in the best terroirs of Cima Corgo close to the river, is partially barrel aged. It is a complex and fresh wine with astonishing aromatic intensity and a rich, full palate.
- Pilheiros "Grande Escolha" is made primarily from Touriga Franca grapes from very old vines that enjoy one of the best-oriented settings of Cima Corgo higher up in the terrace walls. This highly elegant, spicy wine, with its finely integrated oak and notes of red fruits, is a superb and more classical example of the fine dry wines that the best terroirs of the Douro can produce.
Jacques and Francois decided to deepen their roots in this exceptional location and, in June 2006, bought a small 10 hectare plot nestled on the banks of the Douro, Quinta Beira Douro, in San Juan de Pesqueira The vines are laid out in terraces, on a hillside, warmed by the setting sun. The shady house and cellar are set on the banks of the river and are ready to welcome friends who happen to pass by.
Today, the company operates in five countries as Domaines Francois Lurton.
http://www.francoislurton.com
login: WINESELLERS password: FL03
