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Hardly a month goes by without my coming across a quinta producing vintage port that I have never heard of before..

..the latest is Quinta da Colmaca, whose 2003 vintage is being offered by Lay & Wheeler

I've searched this site, and FTLOP, and looked through all my books, but can find no mention of this quinta at all. A look at wine-searcher reveals that one French merchant is also stocking this wine.

Googling I can find a small reference in French to the estate, a Decanter review of the 2003, and a photo that suggests they also declared 2002.

There does not appear to be a Colmaca website.

How on earth does a quinta sell its products with so little promotion? Two merchants with no special reputation for port are unlikely to move any serious quantity..

If it were the exception to the rule, I could understand, but I find it extraordinary that so many producers keep so schtum about their products..

Tom

Helpful large picture of Quinta da Colmaça 2002 house added to my list.

I recently stumbles across this producer as well, when the wine club of one of the Dutch newspapers offered the 2003. It sold out pretty fast.

According to the press release Colmaça is a small independent producer, with 20ha of land, of which 9ha is planted with vines. All steep slopes and A-grade. They only produce Vintage Port (as far as port is concerned, when googling I also found a DOC Douro).

I see the producer is from Nagoselo do Douro. That's close to S. João d. Pesqueira, on the border of Cima Corgo and Douro Superior. It's a beautiful, rough and steep part of the Douro. Quinta do Javali is also located there.

Alex Liddle lists approximately 170 Quintas in his book "Port Wine Quintas of the Douro". This isn't one of them.

Funny you should post this, i just ran into a Qd Ventozelo at the store. I actually thought it might have been a Sandeman quinta, with the V looking so much like their Vau Vin, but it turns out it's unique. Anyone tried their 2005 juice?

I only tried their 2000 and 2001 VP. The 2000 is good (in the range of Kopke, Crasto, Vista Allegre etc.), the 2001 was quite mediocre. Ventozelo is a very large quinta close to Pinhao. Massive new plantings, The owners (a Spanish company) had big plans with it, but sold it to Real Companhia Velha last year.

Well, as L&W are blowing the 2003 VP out at 20gbp, I'm going to have to arrange a casual tasting at TCP with the theme of 'recent releases from obscure qunitas'

Watch this space, homeboys.

Do they have much?

There is a reference to a LBV here viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2670&p=30447

details listed in IVDP website:

QTA. COLMAÇA - SOC. AGRÍC., SOC. UNIP.
Quinta Da Colmaça
5130-0 S. João Da Pesqueira
vitigestion@wanadoo.fr

jdaw1 wrote:Do they have much?

By the looks of things they have only 2 bottles left - Lay & Wheeler are good with no minimum order though

Josh,

Here is my tasting note from a few years ago on Qta do Ventozelo:

2005 Quinta do Ventozelo Vintage Port
Very dark ruby and full opacity with some fine sediment in the bottom of the bottle. Fragrant floral scents with raspberry, red licorice and grape Lifesavers make for a really bright and expressive nose. Initially a light weight, it put on more weight than Anna Nicole Smith with a gallon of ice cream during the ensuing 48 hours. Ripe, juicy purple fruits with primary plum, good acidity and finely knit tannins that show some chalky grip on the medium length finish. The Ventozelo should age nicely and is worth the punt if the price is right. It showed its best on day three with additional richness and a longer finish. Drink 2012-2023. 89 Points

Roy Hersh wrote:it put on more weight than Anna Nicole Smith

I realise that this is meant to be flattering, but the marketing people might prefer a different analogy.

Julian,

I am flattered that you are concerned about the producer's marketing people!

Roy Hersh wrote:I am flattered that you are concerned about the producer's marketing people!

That shouldn’t be new information: see A plea to the Symingtons.

I haven’t been able to find anything else about Colmaça, although I notice it is listed on Forrester’s map of 1844 so it must date from at least then. Trying to transpose the location Forrester gives to modern satellite photos suggest it is just a bit North of Javail. As a rough guess, I wonder if it is these farm buildings and surrounding vineyards? (Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to pop round to check?).

Got the right map and right place for Quinta da Colmaça ! Good job.

FYI, LBV 2005 won Gold medal at IWC 2012, but still no website nor UK importers...

For all inquiries : vitigestion@wanadoo.fr

Claude wrote:Got the right map and right place for Quinta da Colmaça ! Good job.

FYI, LBV 2005 won Gold medal at IWC 2012, but still no website nor UK importers...

For all inquiries : vitigestion@wanadoo.fr

If you don't mind me asking, enquiries about what?

Does Vitigestion manage the vineyards for this producer?

Thanks!

Hi Ray
I have just recently joined these forums and have been looking to make sure that Quinta de Colmaca is more readily available in the UK. The Quinta was acquired in 2000 by a small group of wine lovers, one of the shareholders is Claude Gaudin, wine maker from the Bordeaux region. the vineyard under this new direction declared vintages in 2002, 2003 and issued a LBV in 2005.

pjhamilton wrote:Hi Ray
I have just recently joined these forums and have been looking to make sure that Quinta de Colmaca is more readily available in the UK. The Quinta was acquired in 2000 by a small group of wine lovers, one of the shareholders is Claude Gaudin, wine maker from the Bordeaux region. the vineyard under this new direction declared vintages in 2002, 2003 and issued a LBV in 2005.

Apologies for being slow to approve the post — a first post in an old thread is less prominent than a first post starting a new thread.

pjhamilton wrote:Hi Ray
I have just recently joined these forums and have been looking to make sure that Quinta de Colmaca is more readily available in the UK. The Quinta was acquired in 2000 by a small group of wine lovers, one of the shareholders is Claude Gaudin, wine maker from the Bordeaux region. the vineyard under this new direction declared vintages in 2002, 2003 and issued a LBV in 2005.

Do you know whether there is currently a UK agent? I'd be very interested to try the three ports at one of our offlines if there is a way for us to get hold of them. In return we'd get the chance to post tasting notes and raise the profile of these ports a little in the UK (and worldwide). So far we only have one tasting note for the 2003 and that dates from 2011 when the port was rather tight and closed.

AHB wrote:

pjhamilton wrote:Hi Ray
I have just recently joined these forums and have been looking to make sure that Quinta de Colmaca is more readily available in the UK. The Quinta was acquired in 2000 by a small group of wine lovers, one of the shareholders is Claude Gaudin, wine maker from the Bordeaux region. the vineyard under this new direction declared vintages in 2002, 2003 and issued a LBV in 2005.

Do you know whether there is currently a UK agent? I'd be very interested to try the three ports at one of our offlines if there is a way for us to get hold of them. In return we'd get the chance to post tasting notes and raise the profile of these ports a little in the UK (and worldwide). So far we only have one tasting note for the 2003 and that dates from 2011 when the port was rather tight and closed.

Ditto but in regards to the US-- Think we are having an international port offline in the coming months in NY and these could be incorporated into tasting perhaps.