The mouth of the Távora River, where its valley spreads out before joining the Douro River, about 4 kilometers west of the town of Pinhão,
has been considered as the origin of the best Port wines. Especially the award-winning wines from a special hillside, situated on the right bank of the Távora, in the parish of Valença do Douro, known as Panascal.
The place was named after the clumps of Panasco, the creeping vegetation Dactylis glomerata, which proliferated all over the hillside. The fame of this area is told in the words of an old saying: "From Roncão and Panascal come the best wines of Portugal".
Although it is believed that the Panascal vineyards have been cultivated there since the early nineteenth century, it was only relatively recently that they became an estate of significant size. The Viscount of Vila Maior, a great 19th century authority on Douro vineyards, mentions that in 1869 the area contained five plots of land belonging to private winegrowers. These had been abandoned after the devastation caused by phylloxera, which destroyed many of the Douro's vineyards between the 1860s and 1970s until, in the early 20th century, they were amalgamated into a single, larger property known as Quinta do Panascal.
In the middle of the 20th century, the estate had been acquired by Colonel José Pacheco, a member of a prominent family of Douro landowners, and it was precisely from the Pacheco family that Fonseca bought the property in 1978.
Although it is believed that the Panascal vineyards have been cultivated there since the early nineteenth century, it was only relatively recently that they became an estate of significant size. The Viscount of Vila Maior, a great 19th century authority on Douro vineyards, mentions that in 1869 the area contained five plots of land belonging to private winegrowers. These had been abandoned after the devastation caused by phylloxera, which destroyed many of the Douro's vineyards between the 1860s and 1970s until, in the early 20th century, they were amalgamated into a single, larger property known as Quinta do Panascal.
In the middle of the 20th century, the estate had been acquired by Colonel José Pacheco, a member of a prominent family of Douro landowners, and it was precisely from the Pacheco family that Fonseca bought the property in 1978.
"A number of factors make Quinta do Panascal an exceptional vineyard."
Unlike the vineyards located in the Pinhão valley, such as Quinta de Cruzeiro and Quinta de Santo António, which have had a long historical connection with the company, Panascal was not traditionally a supplier to Fonseca. However, the company was aware of the property's excellent reputation and saw an opportunity to convert this privileged location into a technically advanced vineyard that would produce wines suited to the Fonseca house style.
A number of factors make Quinta do Panascal an exceptional vineyard. Its wide, sloping west and southwest facing slopes mean that the entire vineyard is well exposed to sunlight. The vines on the steep lower slopes next to the river Tavora are enveloped by the still warm air trapped between the steep banks of the narrow valley.
In this area, known as Torrão, the wines are dense, velvety and delicious, with powerful black fruit intertwined with licorice and chocolate flavors. On the upper slopes, which rise about 400 meters above sea level, the slope is gentler and the vines are cooled by the wind, producing more elegant, finely perfumed wines with vibrant acidity. These different elevations allow the estate to produce wines that combine rich, powerful fruit with aromatic complexity, this being the cornerstone of the Fonseca house style.
The reconstruction work began soon after the property was purchased. With the exception of two hectares of old vines planted on traditional terraces on the banks of the Távora, known as Vinha do Rio, the steep, sloping lower slopes were reconverted to patamares, which are modern terraces separated by high slopes, using the experience gained during the reconstruction of Quinta do Cruzeiro.
The gentle slopes at the top of the estate were planted in vertical rows using the vine-to-top technique. One such plot, planted in 1985, was converted to organic viticulture in 1992. With an initial area of two hectares, it was later expanded to six hectares. These plots were one of the first experiments in organic viticulture in the Douro Valley, which provided much of the experience and knowledge that would further support the growth of the sustainable vineyard model developed by David Guimaraens and the viticulture director, António Magalhães.
The technique of planting in vertical rows was perfected in 1995 with the creation of the pioneering Vale da Régua vineyard. This vineyard follows a method perfected by Fonseca known as matrix planting. Each row is planted with a single grape variety best suited to the site. The rows located on the ridge are planted with Tinta Roriz, which requires dry soils in full sun. Touriga Francesa is planted in low locations, where the soil is more fertile and where its throws, more fragile than those of other varieties, are protected from the wind. On the hillside, the more elevated positions, more aerated and where the soil is often stonier and with better drainage, provide the best conditions for planting Touriga Nacional.
“ Although the grape varieties are planted in separate rows, they are nevertheless harvested and fermented together. “
Fonseca Port
Although the varieties are planted in separate rows, they are nevertheless harvested and fermented together.
Wine production at Panascal, as at the other Fonseca properties, follows traditional principles. On the first floor of the farmhouse are the lagares where the grapes are trodden, as well as the wooden vats where the Port wine is left to rest.
Quinta do Panascal is now the flagship property of Fonseca. In addition to providing an important contribution to the blends of classic Fonseca vintage Port wines, Quinta do Panascal has also been releasing, for over thirty years, single estate vintage Port wines produced exclusively from the estate's best production. While these wines are shipped to markets around the world, they can also be purchased in the estate store. Visitors are welcome at Panascal throughout the year for a tour of their vineyards or to watch wine production during the grape harvest.
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