Ramisco is a Portuguese red grape variety mainly cultivated in the Colares DOC region. Few grape varieties are as intrinsically associated with a territory as the Ramisco variety is with Colares in Sintra. A noble and indigenous grape variety of the region, planted on ungrafted vines in the characteristic sandy soils, less than 1 km from the Atlantic Coast and at an average altitude of 110 m, it survived the phylloxera plague of the 19th century.
It is a grape variety of enormous oenological interest due to its high natural acidity, exceeding 6 gr./lt, low alcohol volume, about 11 – 12% vol., and remarkable tannic load. On the other hand, the vegetative cycle is late, with slow ripening. With medium-sized berries and thick skin, it is extremely resistant to pests and diseases, an essential factor when the grape variety thrives so close to the Atlantic.
Ramisco varietal wines have very pronounced and astringent tannins, allowing them to age well; suitable for maturation in wood or in the bottle, they transform into wines of great elegance and finesse, evident when their color develops a brownish rim.
