Quinta da Roeda forms the backbone of the Croft Vintage Porto, produced only in years when vineyard conditions are optimal and warrant a “declared vintage.” Wines from Quinta da Roeda are characteristically plump, full and vigorously fruity, with the hallmark aroma of the gum cistus bush—a character that informs the Croft house style. The grapes are trod by foot in granite lagares to minimize the release of harsh, bitter compounds from skins and seeds, and the wine spends two years aging in vat before bottling. Croft Vintage Porto will continue to develop in the bottle and may be cellared for decades before opening.