red grape · rare
Tinta Cão
Douro Valley, Portugal
Say it
teen·tahkown
Cão rhymes roughly with English 'gown'; the final ão vowel is nasalized. Tinta = TEEN-tah.
On the palate
red cherryblack plumblackberryvioleteucalyptussmoke
How you spot it blind: piercing acidity and lavender-edged perfume that age into silky tannins
The story
First written down · 18th century, Douro Valley, Portugal
One of five officially recommended Port red varieties, its global plantings fell 34% from 2000 to 2010 due to chronically low and economically unviable yields.
Where it lives
Douro, Portugal · Dão, Portugal
Shows up as
still redfortified
If you like this, try
Also answers to Tinta Cao.
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