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Encosta da Quinta

Humus Balburdia 2019

Price: $27.95
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Tasting notes

Balburdia delivers sour cherry, cranberry, and ripe blackberry on a frame of earthy, peppery Atlantic freshness — exactly what you want from a low-intervention red. The clay-limestone soils and constant ocean influence give it a brightness and grip that keep it lively without being heavy.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
Black CherryCranberryEarthBlack Pepper
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied red; 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Syrah, 30% Tinta Barroca; bright red-black fruit with earth and pepper; 13% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: Touriga Nacional, Syrah, Tinta Barroca; certified organic; red clay and limestone slopes, 150–200m, Alvorninha near Óbidos, Lisboa
  • Winemaking: Hand-harvested; spontaneous native yeast fermentation; unfined, unfiltered; no added sulfites
  • Serving: Serve at 60–62°F; 20–30 min decant optional
  • Pairing: Grilled lamb, slow-cooked beef stew, pork ribs, tomato-braised dishes, hearty lentil soup
  • Similar To: For fans of Gamay and lighter Grenache who want Atlantic-driven freshness with Portuguese character

Balburdia is a red blend from Rodrigo Filipe at Encosta da Quinta, Quinta do Paço, in Alvorninha near Óbidos in the Lisboa wine region. The name means chaos in Portuguese, a nod to the wine's approach of blending different barrels and, in some iterations, multiple vintages. This 2019 is made from 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Syrah, and 30% Tinta Barroca, grapes Rodrigo planted on the estate starting in 2002.

The vineyards sit on red clay and limestone slopes at 150–200 meters above sea level, roughly 10 minutes from the Atlantic coast. The maritime climate delivers cool temperatures, steady sea breezes, and high humidity, which keeps natural acidity high and extends the ripening season. Grapes are hand-harvested, and the estate has held organic certification since 2007.

In the cellar, Rodrigo works with minimum intervention: spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, no fining, no filtration, and no added sulfites. The result is a light-to-medium-bodied red with bright red and black fruit, earthy and herbaceous undertones, and firm but integrated tannins backed by lively Atlantic acidity.

Works well with grilled lamb chops, pork ribs, or a slow-cooked beef stew. The acidity holds up against tomato-based braises and hearty lentil soups. Serve slightly cool, around 60–62°F, to keep the freshness intact.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Touriga Nacional, Syrah, Tinta Barroca
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2019
Alcohol:, 13%
Country:, Portugal
Region:, Lisboa
Appellation:, Vinho Regional Lisboa
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Encosta da Quinta

Encosta da Quinta, trading as Humus, is a family estate at Quinta do Paço in Alvorninha, roughly one hour north of Lisbon and 10 minutes from the Atlantic coastline. The property was acquired by Rodrigo Filipe's grandfather in 1960. His father planted the first vines on the slopes in the 1990s, starting with Castelão, Fernão Pires, and Arinto in 1991. Rodrigo, a former civil engineer, took over winemaking in the early 2000s and planted Touriga Nacional, Syrah, and Tinta Barroca in 2002.

The estate covers 20 hectares in total, with 9 hectares under vine on red clay and limestone slopes. Rodrigo has held organic certification since 2007, using natural compost and only minimal applications of copper and sulfur when required. He farms without pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic chemicals. Grapes are hand-harvested in small boxes.

Rodrigo is self-taught and works with minimum intervention in the cellar. Fermentation is spontaneous using only native yeasts. Wines are bottled without fining, without filtration, and with no added sulfites. The name Humus refers to the dark organic matter in soil, reflecting Rodrigo's focus on soil health as the foundation of the wines. His first Humus wine was released in 2009.

Wine region

Lisboa, Portugal

The Lisboa wine region runs along Portugal's Atlantic coast north of Lisbon and is organized into nine DOC appellations. Óbidos, where Encosta da Quinta is located, sits at 150–200 meters above sea level between the Serra dos Candeeiros range and the ocean. A break in the hills near the Peniche Peninsula funnels cold, wet westerly winds across the vineyards, keeping temperatures low and humidity high throughout the growing season. This maritime exposure extends ripening significantly and builds natural acidity in the grapes.

The Lisboa region's Vinho Regional designation allows producers like Rodrigo Filipe to work with grape varieties and blending approaches outside the tighter constraints of DOC rules. Soils across the region shift between clayey-calcareous and sandy-clay compositions. In the Óbidos area specifically, red clay and limestone dominate. Authorized red varieties for Lisboa wines include Touriga Nacional, Castelão, Tinta Barroca, Syrah, and Trincadeira, among others. The coastal appellations produce lighter, high-acid wines; more inland zones like Alenquer yield fuller-bodied reds.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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