Quinta da Fonte Souto

Quinta da Fonte Souto is a Portuguese red blend produced by the Symington family, well-known for their premium port wines.

In the name “Fonte Souto,” Fonte represents the springs that provide an abundance of fresh water to the vineyard. Souto represents the considerable area of chestnut trees and cork oaks that cover the estate in the Portalegre subregion of the Alto Alentejo in southern Portugal. There are 207 hectares on the property, of which 43 are planted with vines.

The Fonte Souto Estate red wine embodies all the strengths of the property’s unique terroir. The freshness and balance afforded by the altitude; the concentration, which derives from mature, low-yielding vines, and the complexity and structure provided by the judicious blend of grape varieties. The property benefits from the area’s altitude with its cooler microclimate and soils of schist and granite.

The Symingtons come from a long line of port producers. Andrew James Symington arrived in Portugal in 1882 and married Porto-born Beatrice who was descended from port merchants going back to 1652. Today, ten family members representing a fifth generation are working in the business. In addition to winning many awards, they produced the only port made this century to score 100 points in Wine Spectator.

A family of philanthropists, the Symingtons donate ambulances to local communities, sponsor scholarships, donate to organizations that help underprivileged children, and support a program that releases rehabilitated birds of prey.