Wine & Spirits - August 2018 - 66

YEAR'S BEST VINHO VERDES
months on the lees. That skin contact brings
the stony minerality of the fruit forward, its
depth of green olive, green melon and lime
flavors finishing rich, structured and intense.
Pour it with fish tacos topped with Mexican
sour cream. § Grape2Glass, Newark, NJ
230219

91 | Luis Seabra

$53

2015 Vinho Verde Granito Cru Alvarinho ^
Luis Seabra makes this from a vineyard in
Douro's northern Baixa Corgo, rising up
to 592 feet in elevation. Even though the
alcohol content only reached 12 percent in
2015, the wine feels riper than most alvarinhos from Monção and Melgaço. Further
distinguishing the style, Seabra makes it
without additions other than sulfur at bottling, fermenting it in large ovals made of
Eastern European oak. That oak is present
in the aroma and flavors of the wine, along
with intriguing scents of herbs and flowers.
The fruit verges on quince and buttery pear,
even as the acidity is firm. Heady now, this
needs time to develop in bottle. § Winemonger
Imports, San Anselmo, CA
226349

91 | Soalheiro

$29

2016 Vinho Verde Terramatter Alvarinho ^
This is an early harvest from the Cerdeira
family's estate vineyards in Melgaço. A portion of the blend undergoes malolactic fermentation in chestnut casks; a small lot sees
no added sulfur; and, after blending, it's
bottled unfiltered. It's an unusual style, with
notes of walnuts, green olives and chalk. That
initial toastiness and oiliness integrates with
air, the texture silky, the chalkiness a grace
note to the wine's richness. For grilled sardines. § Wine In-Motion USA, Union, NJ
226290

90 | Quinta d'Amares

$25

2016 Vinho Verde Alvarinho ^ This is grapey
and bright, but it also has plenty of savory,
salty green character-like nori-to bring it
into line. It finishes dry and a little nutty, with
the salty spice to match miso-glazed black
cod. § Wine In-Motion USA, Union, NJ
231123

90 | A.M. Esteves Monteiro $14

2017 Vinho Verde Bicudo (Best Buy) ^ The
Esteves Monteiro family farms three vineyards in and around Sobrado, close to Porto,
providing the estate-grown loureiro, arinto
and trajadura for this wine. It's quiet when
first poured, needing time to open past the
mild apricot, almond and lemon curd flavors. The depth of fruit develops with lovely
richness and plenty of grapefruit refreshment to take on fluke crudo. § Frontier Wine
Imports, Dover, NJ
231566
66

WINE & SPIRITS

AUGUST 2018

90 | Quinta de Gomariz

$20

2017 Minho Colheita Seleccionada Alvarinho ^ With its powerful scents of brown
butter and ripe pomelo, this is a full-bodied alvarinho that packs plenty of alcohol.
There's enough tension in the wine's acidity
to keep it in balance, lasting on brisk spice.
Pour this with langoustines or other rich
shellfish. § P.R. Grisley, Salt Lake City, UT
231305

90 | Anselmo Mendes

$32

2017 Vinho Verde Muros de Melgaço
Alvarinho ^ This has the humidity of sea air
and the sweetness of toasted lees. You could
align its umami character with a casserole of
pork with clams, or focus on the wine's fat
richness with braised tuna belly wrapped in
nori. § Aidil Wines & Liquors, Newark, NJ
231312

90 | Anselmo Mendes

$22

2017 Vinho Verde Muros Antigos Alvarinho ^ There's a radish-like white-pepper
spice to this wine, its tight green-apple and
green-pepper notes girding a generous texture. It lasts with a bright glint of saltiness.
Bring out the smoky, seashell character in the
fruit with a platter of arroz com marisco. § Aidil
Wines & Liquors, Newark, NJ
226669

90 | Vercoope

$17

2015 Vinho Verde Via Latina Alvarinho ^
Smooth and salty, this has the flavor of crabmeat and oyster shells, its sweetness wrestling with the pale granitic tension. Serve it
cellar temperature with Cantonese crab and
asparagus soup. § Sarmento's Imports, Fall
River, MA
230901

89 | Portal da Calçada

$13

2017 Vinho Verde Reserva (Best Buy) ^
There's a playful touch of spritz to this wine,
bringing out a mineral note and balancing
the hints of sweetness in the juicy peach flavors. This is lively and refreshing, a white
to chill for a hot summer day. § International
Vines, Lafayette, CA
230818

89 | Herdade do Rocim

$13

2017 Vinho Verde Goivo (Best Buy) ^ The
spritz comes first, then a burst of honeyed
perfume, like wildflowers and fresh peaches.
This buzzes with chalky acidity and sweet yellow fruit, a clean white for evenings on the
deck. § Shiverick Imports, Los Angeles, CA
231130

88 | Quinta das Arcas

$14

2017 Vinho Verde Arca Nova (Best Buy) ^
Clean and light, this estate-grown Vinho
Verde is simple floral refreshment, with
pleasantly sweet notes of lemon and rose-

water. A touch of spritz tightens it up in the
end. § Frontier Wine Imports, Dover, NJ
231136

88 | Aveleda

2017 Vinho Verde Casal Garcia (Best Buy) ^
It's a challenge to find a vinous white wine
for under $10. So at $8, this is a remarkable
value-clean and simple, the fruit scented
with orange, grapefruit and honeyed notes,
deepening to crunchy peach and a refreshing
mineral finish. Yes, it's a little reductive, but it
smooths out with air, ready to take on clams
roasted in garlic. § Aveleda, Pawtucket, RI
231565

88 | Quinta de Gomariz

$14

87 | Aríos

$14

87 | Aveleda

$12

2017 Vinho Verde Colheita Seleccionada
Loureiro (Best Buy) ^ A simple line of bright,
floral intensity, this develops past green
notes of aloe toward stony mineral character. Decant it for pork with clams. § P.R. Grisley, Salt Lake City, UT
230435
2016 Vinho Verde Aguafuerte Loureiro
(Best Buy) ^ Juicy and pithy, with notes of
grapefruit and lemon, this is fleshy in the
middle, then a little short in the end. Chill it
for aperitifs with cracked crab. § Boutique Wine
Collection, Philadelphia, PA
231137
2017 Vinho Verde Alvarinho (Best Buy) ^
Leesy and warm, this is a plump, buttery
alvarinho with enough crisp acidity to keep
it clean. Chill it for buttermilk fried chicken. §
Aveleda, Pawtucket, RI
231132

87 | A.M. Esteves Monteiro $14

2017 Vinho Verde Zap (Best Buy) ^ This
wine's apple-scented fruit has a cidery character, its sweet flavors edged with salt. Serve
well chilled. § Frontier Wine Imports, Dover, NJ
230610

87 | Quinta da Lixa

$12

86 | Quinta d'Amares

$13

2017 Vinho Verde Escolha Alvarinho-Loureiro-Trajadura (Best Buy) ^ Bright and floral, with tangy lime scents, this wine's fruity
character is tamed by notes of bitter greens.
It's a beach wine, or serve it with clams in
garlic. § Grape2Glass, Newark, NJ
226289
2016 Vinho Verde (Best Buy) ^ A blend of
loureiro and alvarinho, this is soft, round and
smoky in its tense herbal acidity. For anchovy
toast. § Wine In-Motion USA, Union, NJ n

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - August 2018