Prats & Symington Chryseia, Douro 2019

One of the most famous international joint ventures in the wine world, the partnership between Bruno Prats (formerly of Château Cos d'Estournel) in Bordeaux and the Symington family in Portugal's Douro valley began in 1998, when they set out to produce a flagship Douro red wine.

Chryseia was the result, and the 2000 was the first vintage to be released. Chryseia is the Greek translation of Douro, literally ‘of gold’, referring to the occasional change in the colour of the river itself after rains disturb the silt, turning the water temporarily golden brown.

Prats & Symington now owns two prime Douro vineyards: Quinta de Roriz and Quinta da Perdiz, grapes from which form the backbone of Chryseia and Post Scriptum. Chryseia undergoes long maceration during vinification and is aged in 100% new French oak in the Quinta's schist-walled barrel cellar, in the style of winemaking typical in Bordeaux. A third wine is also produced: Prazo de Roriz. This is very much in the house style but made for earlier drinking.