It would not be out of place to present Azal as the favorite grape variety of the Quinta da Raza team. In fact, we're talking about a grape variety that is native to the Basto sub-region and which, in our opinion, expresses so well the vigor and character of our people and our land. Although far from the prominence and fame attributed to other varieties, the truth is that at the beginning of the 20th century, Azal was the main grape variety used in the production of the sub-region's white wines. As a late-ripening grape variety, the Raza terroir, with its remarkable exposure to the sun, granite soils with schist and clay areas and a harsh climate with a wide annual temperature range, provides the ideal conditions for its development and expression of its full potential. Azal bunches are medium-sized, very compact and heavy, with a greenish color, even at the end of ripening. The highest level of quality is achieved when planted in dry, well-exposed soil. It produces wines with a citrus color and aromas, lime or lemon, sometimes grapefruit and green apple, not too intense, fine and pleasant and with a slightly acidic aftertaste. The taste is fruity with citrus notes, but also mineral; freshness is one of the grape variety's hallmarks.

At Quinta da Raza, Azal is used in the monovarietal Dom Diogo Azal - one of our most successful wines - and in Raza Branco, a blend of Arinto, Azal and Trajadura. It was also used in the first edition of our Family Collection, where it revealed a previously unknown facet: its aging capacity, materialized in the exceptional results of a 12-month aging in French oak.