From fresh single-varietal releases and standout vintages to playful Negra Mole blends for naturally sparkling wines, plus new red, rosé and white launches
Tropical freshness
Silves winery Arvad has launched its first single-varietal Sauvignon Blanc (€11.90).
Renowned for producing exquisite single-varietal wines, winemaker Bernardo Cabral has harnessed this variety’s full freshness in a very smooth wine.
Made from grapes cultivated in the riverside vineyards of Silves, the wine expresses a sense of terroir that bathes in sunshine during the day and captures the valley’s coolness at night.
In the glass, its yellow hue reveals greenish tints, alluding to its liveliness.
With delightful notes of tropical fruit, lychee, and white asparagus, it is a silky yet very fresh wine with good body and a prolonged finish.
A winning field blend…
Morgado do Quintão has just launched its Vinhas Velhas 2023 (€39.10), a premium field blend dominated by the Algarve’s Crato Branco variety.
Following its predecessor, which was voted one of Portugal’s top 10 wines last year, this new vintage demonstrates that consultant winemaker Joana Maçanita is dedicated to maintaining the winery’s blends on the national podium.
Partly aged in wooden casks, it displays a yellowish straw colour and offers notes of white plum and iodine. On the palate, it is saline and fresh, with hints of brioche and butter. It pairs perfectly with flavoursome white meat and seafood dishes.
…and a festive Pet Nat
Morgado do Quintão has also added a Pet Nat (€22) to its portfolio – short for Pétillant Naturel, a naturally sparkling wine made by bottling before the first fermentation is complete.
Unlike Champagne, Pet Nat is not usually disgorged, which makes it rustic, slightly cloudy, and highly aromatic.
Pacheca takes root in Alvor
A new player is planting roots in the Algarve. The Douro-based Pacheca Group is investing in the region and has recently launched three wines: a red, a rosé, and a white.
The winemaking process for the three Mira-Bela wines (€18 each) takes place in Alvor, under the supervision of winemaker Carla Rodrigues, who emphasises freshness, lightness, and regional character.
The white is a single-varietal Sauvignon Blanc; the rosé is a surprising blend of Touriga Nacional, Grenache, and Cinsault; and the red is a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Touriga Nacional. Fresh, summery wines that capture the Algarve’s saline terroir.
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