Grapes are often known by many synonyms. Graciano is also known as Tinta Miuda in Portugal. Normally used for dry reds in Lisboa and Tejo, I nevertheless found a late harvest example from Quinta da Alorna at last week's Vinexpo. Picked late and with fermentation arrested bu the cold weather (and then presumably sterile filtered so that fermentation does not restart when warmed), the wine then spends 4 months in used French barrels before bottling.
The wine was a limpid runy with just a hint of lilac and had a sweet orangey berry nose. The palate was sweet with berry fruit, a little acid and surprisingly for a wine of 11% alcohol a hint of alcoholic heat. That heat persisted through the backbone of acid right to its finish.
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