Alvarinho Semente AB Valley 2023

£15.95 per bottle

ABV 12.5%

Tasting Notes
Native to the Iberian Peninsula, and particularly found in Rias Baixas, the Alvarinho grape is also one of Portugal’s most noble varieties. The vineyards are based in the hot Amarante sub region, which is located at higher altitude than the coastline of the Minho region. This wine undergoes skin maceration for 24 hours for 40% of the lot which gives an excellent, rich texture to the body. Intense aromas on the nose of citrus fruits, nectarines and honeysuckle. The palate is vibrant, showing a refreshing acidity with ripe flavours of fleshy white peach, lime and a subtle saline note on the finish.

Food
Alvarinho pairs exceptionally well with white fish, seafood paella, grilled fish tacos, calamari and feta based salads.

Region
Portugal`s northern Atlantic coastal region of Minho shares much in common with it`s northern Spanish neighbour, Galicia.The Minho is a verdant green coastal region, often shrouded in mist, where the grey granite soils support a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and various localised grape varieties. There are around 60,000 hectares of vines planted in Minho. Many of these are dedicated to Vinho Verde, the country`s largest DOC.

Producer
AB Valley Wines was formed in 2016 by renowned winemaker Antonio Sousa and Bernardo Lencastre. Their idea was to make wines which showcase the indiginous grape varieties of the region with the terroir of Vinhos Verde`s sub region of Amarante. The terroir is ideal for grape growing; Amarante is protected from the influence of the Atlantic and has a high average altitude, higher temperatures than the regional average and the hottest summers overall. These conditions favour the development of late-maturing varieties such as Azal and Avesso.