Part II: Quinta do Combro and the Old Vines of the Douro

(Continuation of "Portuguese Wines the World Still Doesn't Know".)

Some Douro estates exist to impress. Others exist to be true. Quinta do Combro, from the house of JM Calem, clearly belongs to the second group — and that is what makes it special.

Field blend: the Douro at its most authentic

In the Douro Valley, Quinta do Combro makes wines from old vines in a field blend. In the Douro's old vineyards, grapes were not planted separately by variety but mixed side by side in the same plot, as tradition demanded. Each parcel is a puzzle of grapes — Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta da Barca and others — harvested and fermented together. The result is a wine that reflects the terroir in full, without modern selection. It is authenticity in its purest form.

The Quinta do Combro range

The range covers the whole spectrum — white, rosé and red — with a rare consistency of style.

Combro Branco Douro DOC — from the Douro's benchmark white grapes (Rabigato, Gouveio, Viosinho and Códega de Larinho, with Alvarinho), a white of freshness, acidity and tension, more about balance than exuberant fruit. Ideal with grilled fish, seafood or fresh cheeses.

Combro Rosé Douro DOC — from old-vine red grapes, by direct pressing that extracts only colour and aroma. Fresh and lively, with the complexity old vines always bring. An elegant entry point.

Degrau do Combro Tinto Douro DOC — the gateway to the reds: old vines, fermentation with indigenous yeasts and ageing in wood. Ripe fruit, subtle spice and the freshness of the high-altitude Douro. The name evokes the schist terraces of the landscape.

Combro Tinto Douro DOC — the heart of the range. An old-vine field blend: intensity without excess, concentrated but not heavy fruit, present yet integrated tannins. A versatile, honest table red.

Combro Tinto Colheita Especial Douro DOC — the top of the reds. Red and black fruit balanced with spice, tobacco and leather; a selection of the best lots and extended ageing, with structure to keep.

Why old vines?

In the Douro, old vines are a treasure. With decades — sometimes more than a century — of history, their roots plunge deep into the schist in search of water and minerals. They naturally yield fewer grapes, but of a concentration and complexity young vines simply cannot replicate. The irregularity of the field blend, far from a flaw, is a richness: each parcel tells its story, and the wine is the sum of them all.

One estate, one story

JM Calem is one of the oldest houses linked to the Douro and to Port. Quinta do Combro is its expression in still wine — without the sweetness of Port, without the shadow of the big international brands, just the Douro in its most direct, honest form. For anyone who wants to know the Douro beyond the obvious, it is a must.

Discover the Quinta do Combro range at Quick Wines, with delivery to Portugal, Spain and Europe.

Quick Wines is a brand of WINE-TIME EUROPE, Lda. Please drink responsibly. Sales restricted to persons aged 18 and over.