Quinta do Cachao
Quinta do Cachao
Owner | Baptista family |
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Belonging to Messias.
Quinta do Cachão is located in the Cima Corgo, the most rugged and inaccessible region in the entire Douro region. Although it did provide excellent conditions for the production of Port Wine, this landscape of steep slopes, which drop vertically into the river, did not begin to be used for the cultivation of wines until the early years of the 19th century. The major reason which prevented exporters from cultivating this region was the Cachão da Valeira, a huge rock which blocked the Douro River and obstructed all navigation, making it impossible to transport wines to Vila Nova de Gaia, at the mouth of the Douro River, and from there to ship them around the world. When the rock was finally demolished in 1807, the river became navigable, and slowly Port wine producers began to build new Estates in this region.
This was the case of the Quinta do Cachão, which owes its name to famous Cachão da Valeira. Vineyards were first planted in 1845 by the Barão do Seixo, which sold the property years latter to Afonso Cabral. Once the plague had been overcome, the heirs of Afonso Cabral kept the Estate in the family, until 1956, when it was purchased by Messias, in a very run down state and in 1958 Messias purchased the neighbouring Quinta do Rei from Gonzales- Byass and began a complete renovation of the Quinta do Cachão.
Until 2009 the label Quinta do Cachão (or only Cachão) was used on some markets for the exact same wine as Messias. 2009 was the first time two different Vintages were produced in the same year, both Messias and Quinta do Cachão.
Quinta do Cachao Vintages: | 1955, 1960, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1975 (?), 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2016 |
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House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1966 |
Colour | Very beautiful mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
Bouquet | Pale cherry, minty, nuts, stone fruit and some mushroom in the nose. | Score range | 15.00 - 15.00 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature and even some volatile acidity but also a mushroom taste which was disturbing. Should have been enjoyed ages ago but still a rather nice finish. | Average score | |
Last tasted | 4th August 2015 | Point this date | 15.00 |
Comment | The family on vacation in Skagen, Denmark. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1970 |
Colour | Beautiful yellow mature colour. | Number of tastings | 2 |
Bouquet | Crème caramel, coffee, tea and much more. Wonderful nose. | Score range | 16.90 - 17.75 |
Taste | Full bodied. Balanced, elegant, complex. Mature and peaking. Marvellous long finish. | Average score | 17.33 |
Last tasted | 13th November 2008 | Point this date | 17.75 |
Comment | At the Wine Society 18% Great Tasting in Malmö. The best Messias we have ever had. In 2008 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1975 |
Colour | Mature yellow colour. | Number of tastings | 3 |
Bouquet | Roses and berries in the nose. | Score range | 14.75 - 16.00 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature and at its peak. Elegant and balanced with a lovely finish. Quite good. | Average score | 15.50 |
Last tasted | 16th March 2006 | Point this date | 16.00 |
Comment | At the Wine Society 18% Great Tasting in Malmö. In 2006 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1976 |
Colour | Yellow mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 3 |
Bouquet | Dried fruit, sweet liquorice, toffee, butterscotch and old grocery shop in nose. | Score range | 16.00 - 16.50 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature peaking. Will not be better. Very tasty with sweet liquorice and toffee dominating. Balanced and quite elegant with a very attractive finish. | Average score | 16.25 |
Last tasted | 31st December 2016 | Point this date | 16.50 |
Comment | At home with the family. 1 bottle has been defect. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1977 |
Colour | Yellow tawny in colour. | Number of tastings | 2 |
Bouquet | Burned sugar, burned caramel and nuts in the nose. | Score range | 16.75 - 16.75 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature and even a bit old. Burned sugar in flavour. Elegant and complex with an attractive and quite good finish. | Average score | 16.75 |
Last tasted | 4th November 2010 | Point this date | 16.75 |
Comment | At the Wine Society 18% Great Tasting in Malmö. *This bottle was defect. Notes from a tasting 12 November 2007. In 2010 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1978 |
Colour | Yellow mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
Bouquet | Spicy with cinnamon in the nose. | Score range | 15.25 - 15.25 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature. Quite light port. Fudge in flavour. Easy to drink and like with a quite nice and attractive finish. | Average score | |
Last tasted | 15th November 2012 | Point this date | 15.25 |
Comment | At the Wine Society 18% Great Tasting in Malmö. In 2012 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1979 |
Colour | Pale almost tawny but yellow mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 2 |
Bouquet | Cacao, old grocery shop and dark chocolate in the nose. | Score range | 16.00 - 16.25 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Lovely cacao in taste. Balanced and elegant port. Honey in the finish, which is quite long and attractive. | Average score | 16.13 |
Last tasted | 21st November 2019 | Point this date | 16.00 |
Comment | At the Wine Society 18% Tasting in Malmö. In 2013 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1980 |
Colour | Very mature but beautiful, almost tawny in colour. | Number of tastings | 6 |
Bouquet | Toffee, candy, ginger, some cacao and old hospital in the nose. | Score range | 14.90 - 16.90 |
Taste | Medium body. Quite light port but mature and peaking but with some old delicate acidity. Toffee, cacao and candy in taste. Very easy to drink and enjoy with a nice and quite attractive finish. Will not be better so drink up! | Average score | 15.84 |
Last tasted | 17th September 2019 | Point this date | 16.75 |
Comment | In our Private Wine Club in Malmö. In 2014 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1982 |
Colour | Yellow very mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 10 |
Bouquet | Crème caramel, toffee, candy, some butterscotch and fudge in the nose. | Score range | 50.00 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Fudge, candy and toffee in taste. Quite tasty and elegant with a lovely, now long and very attractive finish. Will probably bot be better but is wonderful now! | Average score | 15.43 |
Last tasted | 7th November 2022 | Point this date | 16.05 |
Comment | Tasted at the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark 1 bottle has been defect. In 2014 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1983 |
Colour | Yellow mature very beautiful in colour. | Number of tastings | 12 |
Bouquet | Some cacao, coffee, roses, raisin, herbs, candy and ginger cakes in nose. Very generous bouquet indeed. | Score range | 15.75 - 16.50 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Will not be better but is wonderful today. Balanced and elegant. Herbs, coffee, ginger, crème caramel and cacao in taste. Dry but easy to drink and like. Very attractive with a lovely and quite long finish. Just drink it and love it! | Average score | 16.06 |
Last tasted | 1st November 2021 | Point this date | 16.25 |
Comment | Tasted at the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 2017 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1984 |
Colour | Pale but yellow mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 3 |
Bouquet | Liquorice, cream candy, zest of oranges and cinnamon in the nose. | Score range | 14.75 - 15.50 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature and on top. Taste of cream candy and liquorice. Lovely and easy to drink with a nice finish. Quite attractive port. | Average score | 15.22 |
Last tasted | 19th February 2015 | Point this date | 15.40 |
Comment | At the Wine Society 18% Semi- Great Tasting in Malmö. In 2015 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1985 |
Colour | Yellow mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 7 |
Bouquet | Zest of lemon, some flowers but also pharmacy and old hospital. | Score range | 14.50 - 16.25 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature but with some volatile acidity. Zest of lemon, some flowers but also pharmacy in taste. Drinkable and quite easy to enjoy with a quite attractive and anyhow acceptable finish. | Average score | 15.24 |
Last tasted | 19th September 2020 | Point this date | 14.90 |
Comment | Tasted at the Wine Society 18% Great Tasting in Malmö. In 2020 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1989 |
Colour | Yellow mature colour. | Number of tastings | 3 |
Bouquet | Pharmacy, burned sugar and butterscotch in the nose. | Score range | 14.00 - 15.00 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking with a little unbalanced acidity but quite drinkable. Burned sugar in taste and an acceptable, light finish Not quite convincing. | Average score | 14.50 |
Last tasted | 23rd November 2019 | Point this date | 15.00 |
Comment | At home with the family. Two of the bottles have not been good at all. In 2019 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1997 |
Colour | Quite beautiful yellow, mature colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
Bouquet | Toffee, candy, fudge and some herbs in the nose. Quite generous bouquet. | Score range | 15.40 - 15.40 |
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Will not be much better but have still some acidity. Balanced and quite tasty with toffee, some herbs and butterscotch in the mouth and with a quite long and rather tasty finish. Very easy to drink an enjoy now! | Average score | |
Last tasted | 21st May 2021 | Point this date | 15.40 |
Comment | Tasted at home in Third International Online Vintage Tasting with our German Port Friends from World of Port. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |