June 2024 - Clube de Vinhos
Raza Pet-Nat Rose
Region: Vinho Verde - IG Minho.
Grape varieties: Padeiro, Vinhao.
Winemaker: Diogo Teixeira Coelho.
Winery: Quinta da Raza's vineyards lie in the Basto sub-region, in the heart of the Vinho Verde region. The microclimate provided by the river Tâmega and the mountains surrounding Quinta da Raza, the richness of native grape varieties and the experience and dedication result in wines with a distinct personality.Very mountainous with river valleys. The Basto sub-region is the most inland region, with an average altitude of 250m.
Soil: The soils are granitic, with sandy loam predominating within them.
Vinification: Made with minimal intervention, this wine has no added sulphites. Using wild yeats, and allowing for spontaneous fermentation. No filtration or fining.
Notes: Fruity wine with fine yet persistent bubbles. Refreshing and full of red fruit and wild yeast flavors. Its natural sediment makes the wine cloudy while increasing the complexity.
Suggested Serving Temp: 43°F to 46°F
Food Pairing: Fatty fish and sipcy food.
Pardusco Red
Region: Vinho Verde.
Grape varieties: Alvarelhão, Pedral, Cainho.
Winemaker: Anselmo Mendes.
Soil: Granit.
Pardusco was the name given to the light colored reds, with low alcohol, which travelled well and aged well. Back in those days they didn’t had the denomination of Vinho Verde and later in time they started to be known as “Mature wines of Monção”. .
Vinification: Hand harvest at a perfect maturation point. Bunches de-steemed and cold maceration. Long fermentation at a low temperature. Complete malolactic fermentation.
Notes: Pale ruby color. Ripen red berry aromas with a mineral hint. On the palate shows a very nice acidity that shows freshness along with a good structure.
Suggested Serving Temp: Serve around 55°F.
Food Pairing: Ideal for pairing with white meat (duck or turkey for example) and cured cheeses.
Quinta D’Amares Loureiro
Region: Região Demarcada dos Vinhos Verdes Sub-região do Cávado.
Grape varieties: Loureiro.
Winemaker: Antonio Sousa.
Vineyard: Quinta de Amares, with an extension of vineyards with approximately 50 hectares, is located in the municipality of Amares, heart of Região Demarcada dos Vinhos Verdes, in the small village of Sto. André de Rendufe, land of deep and historical religious traditions. Contiguous to Mosteiro de Santo André de Rendufe, the estate is exposed to the south, with a sunny and unique climatic conditions.
Soil: Sandy Loam Soil, from granitic origin.
Vinification: This wine results from a rigorous selection of the best loureiro grapes and the perfect communion between technique and tradition. The grape crop is picked manually into small boxes. The grapes are destemmed and then pressed at low pressure. Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Before bottling, the wine is filtered and cold stabilized.
Notes: Citrus, with lemon nuances. Young varietal aroma, fruity with floral notes.
Harmonious, balanced acidity and minerality.
Suggested Serving Temp: 45ºF to 50ºF.
Food Pairing: A great wine to harmonize white meats, seafood, fish, small meals, salads and oriental dishes.
Quinta de Santiago Alvarinho/Loureiro
Region: Vinho Verde Sub-Região Monção & Melgaço.
Grape varieties: Alvarinho/Loureiro.
Winemaker: Joana Santiago.
Vineyard: Quinta de Santiago is located in the Monção and Melgaço sub-region, which lies between the river and the mountain. It extends from the Minho River valley and its tributaries, rising in the half slope of the mountain, adapting to different types of terrain and reaching reasonable levels of altitude. The Alvarinho of this sub-region is little exposed to the influence of the sea and has, as one of the conditions favorable to its development, the thermal amplitude in maturation, characterized by hot days and cold nights. This vineyard has 7,4 ha.
Soil: Loam and argilaceous with rolled pebles.
Vinification: Produced only using Quinta de Santiago grapes, our Alvarinho & Loureiro aged for 5 months on fine lees with battonage.
Notes: Reveals citrus color. The aroma is fresh and floral with balsamic and menthol notes, white flowers and citrus fruits. Presents elegant body, fresh, mineral balanced acidity.
Suggested Serving Temp: 60° to 64°F.
Food Pairing: The elegance of this wine makes it the ideal choice for starters, oysters, mussels, scallops and other seafood, fish and Asian cuisine. It should be served at a temperature between 50ºC and 55ºC.
Soalheiro Alvarinho
Region: Vinho Verde Sub-Região Monção & Melgaço.
Grape varieties: Alvarinho.
Winemaker: Antonio Luis Cerdeira.
Vineyard: Soalheiro works with small growers, trained by Soalheiro, from different parts of the regions. They call it the Club of Producers. Each producer has different clones of alvarinho. This way they get Alvarinho with more dept, improving the diversity of aromas and flavors.
Soil: Predominantly granitic.
Vinification: The grapes are harvested by hand. Between pressing and fermentation, the must is clarified at a low temperature. The wine ferments in stainless steel and matures on fine lees before bottling. The objective of vinification is to obtain a wine that showcases the grapes' high quality, resulting in good evolution in the bottle.
Notes: Soalheiro Alvarinho has a bright, lemon-yellow colour. This wine is distinguished by its fresh and elegant fragrance, revealing the aromatic complexity of Alvarinho variety. The flavour has intense tropical and mineral notes that balance perfectly with the acidity and moderate alcohol content.
Suggested Serving Temp: 50ºF to 55°F.
Food Pairing: It’s elegant enough to make an excellent aperitif or complement lighter-flavoured dishes. It pairs well with foods such as seafood, grilled fish, white meats, matured cheeses, smoked meats, or Asian and Mediterranean gastronomies.
Sou Red Vinha De Ramada
Region: Vinho Verde – Sub-Region of Monção and Melgaço
Grape varieties: 70% Alvarelhao and a mix of pedral, cainho, borracal, alvarinho and vinhao.
Winemaker: Nuno Mira do Ó.
Vineyard: All the grapes used in Quinta de Santiago wines come from its 7.5h of vineyards planted in clayey soil between 70 and 100 meters in altitude and located in a very particular microclimate on the alluvial terraces of Monção municipality. It has a predominant south east exposure and is located on a smooth slope (2-5%).This is a joint project between producer Quinta de Santiago and winemaker and producer Nuno Mira do Ó. Ramada is a vineyard that is supported in horizontal structures, whether in iron or wood and wire, these being held up by pillars, usually made out of granite.
Soil: Clay in alluvial terraces with granite bedrock.
Vinification: Hand harvested in mid-September. Fermentation with 40% of whole bunches and stalks, in vats and mills. Aging for 11 months in used French oak barrels and aging in bottle since August 2022.
Notes: Medium open color. Fresh and elegant nose with notes of wild berries, spices and herbs. Very fresh in the mouth with good structure of very soft tannins, vibrant acidity and a long finish with fruit and spicy notes.
Suggested Serving Temp: 60° F.
Food Pairing: It is a highly gastronomic wine that, due to its freshness and texture, is able to accompany a wide variety of dishes from fatty fish to the famous Minho lamprey, through poultry, spicy curry dishes, pasta and even grilled red meats.