Quadraginta White

A “national” white wine, with half of the grapes coming from Trás-os-Montes and the other half from Azeitão. In fact, 46% of it is Riesling, sourced from a vineyard belonging to “my colleague and friend” Paulo Hortas, near Saborosa, planted at an altitude of 750 meters. “I had been looking for these grapes for many years,” he admits. Then we have Antão Vaz (44% from a 30-year-old vineyard at Herdade de Algeruz) and another 10% Alvarinho, this one from Quinta de Camarate, in a vineyard dating back to the 1950s. But the secret lies in the aging times in second-year wood (French Taransaud T5 oak, which he considers the best) and stainless steel, resulting in a wine “with just enough wood,” good acidity, and a lot of body. It already has a beautiful yellowish color, tending towards gold. It is a wine full of nuances and a pleasure to drink.