From: Vinho Verde DOC, Portugal
Varietals: 65% Avesso, 30% Arinto, 5% Fernão Pires
Tasting Notes: This wine has a crystalline appearance and intense aromas of lemon zest, grapefruit, mandarin orange, white flowers, and peach pit. The wine is elegant on the palate, showcasing crisp acidity and just a touch of Vinho Verde’s classic refreshing fizz, which punctuates the flavors of zesty lemon and grapefruit, Asian pear, and slight tropical notes. It should be noted that while this wine is refreshing and, yes, citrusy, there are more notes of white fruit like Asian pear, white peach, and Bosc pear than you may think… which ultimately means that if you love spritzy white wines but don’t want heartburn… this will be your new BFF.
Pairing: Fantastic as an aperitif, this wine also fairs wonderfully when paired with fish, poultry, salads, and Asian and Mediterranean delicacies and is a delightful companion to tapas. You could enjoy it with grilled white fish and veggies, a light pasta, sushi, or light tacos or fajitas. We recommend enjoying it alongside Sam Sifton’s recipe for Cod Cakes.
About. This wine was made at Casa das Hortas, which was established in 1995 in the Douro region with a focus producing, bottling, and distributing quality wines. Casa das Hortas produces wines made from their estate vineyards in the town of St. Marinha do Zêzere, which is located in the eastern Baião sub-region of the Vinho Verde DOC, bordering the Douro region.
This area is the most inland and warmest part of Vinho Verde, with colder, less rainy winters, hotter and drier summers, and decomposed granitic soils. These conditions allow for a correct maturing of varieties like Avesso, which requires hotter conditions at the end of the growing season than the DOC’s more widespread white grapes: Alvarinho, Loureiro, and Trajadura. In recent years, Baião has distinguished itself in the production of high-profile white wines made from the Avesso variety for their combination of intense and fruity flavors with a crisp acidity.
