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Brilliant Bairrada

Published 11. September 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Bairrada is one of Portugal’s great regions for wines built on freshness, structure and longevity. Its Atlantic-influenced climate, combined with the region’s characteristic clay-limestone soils, provides particularly favourable conditions for baga – a grape capable of producing intensely structured wines, but also wines of remarkable finesse when handled with restraint.

Vadio is the small family project of winemaker Luís Patrão and Eduarda Dias, based around Vale D. Pedro near Poutena. The project grew from a tiny family vineyard and a desire to explore a more precise, less extracted expression of Bairrada and its traditional varieties. Today their work is centred on sustainable farming, soil regeneration and a close attention to individual vineyard parcels.

Grande Vadio is their more concentrated expression of baga. The 2021 is 100% baga, coming from old vines and selected hillside parcels; Vadio describes Grande Vadio as originating from three south-facing hillside plots, where the exposure gives greater depth, structure and complexity.

Vinification remains deliberately gentle. The individual parcels are fermented in small vessels with indigenous yeasts, with manual pump-overs and restrained extraction. After pressing, the wine goes into used 500-litre barrels for malolactic fermentation and ageing. No new-oak gloss is sought here: the emphasis is on fruit definition, texture and the naturally firm but increasingly refined structure of baga.

Grande Vadio 2021 (Vadio Wines)

In the glass, deep ruby red with a slightly lighter crimson rim. The nose gradually opens with black cherry, blackberry and wild red berries, followed by dried herbs, liquorice, a balsamic lift, subtle spice and hints of leather and earth. Quite concentrated on the palate, yet never heavy: firm, fine-grained tannins are carried by baga’s vivid acidity, with dark and red fruit, savoury notes and a restrained touch of oak. Long, dry and persistent, with an attractive tension between power and elegance. Already expressive, but clearly built to develop further in bottle.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Albillo with a twist

Published 4. September 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Las Pedreras is one of the most exciting of the relatively new projects to emerge from the mountains of Gredos. Based in Villanueva de Ávila, in the Alto Alberche valley, it was founded in 2020 by winemaker Bárbara Requejo Frutos and Guzmán Sánchez de la Parra. Sánchez de la Parra is a native of the village and comes from a family with roots in local viticulture.

The landscape here is unmistakably Gredos: old bush vines, decomposed granite and considerable altitude, producing wines in which mountain freshness often counterbalances the warmth of central Spain.

Linarejos 2024 is based on albillo real from very old vines. The grapes are harvested by hand and given three days of skin contact before gentle pressing. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, followed by seven months in used 225-litre oak barrels.

Then comes the unusual twist. A small proportion of mature Manzanilla from Sanlúcar de Barrameda is blended into the finished wine – around 7% in the 2024 vintage. The idea is not to turn it into something resembling sherry, but to give the naturally broad and generous albillo real greater tension, dryness and length. The 2024 contains fruit from both Villanueva de Ávila and San Martín de Valdeiglesias.

Linarejos 2024 (Las Pedreras)

Slightly cloudy yellow with golden hints. The nose is complex and distinctive, with yellow fruit, dried herbs, pollen and spice, followed by a subtle saline, nutty Manzanilla character. Broad enough to reveal the generosity of albillo real, yet surprisingly fine-boned on the palate, with savoury spice, freshness and a chalky, almost salty sensation. Dry, energetic and persistent, with the Manzanilla becoming most apparent in the long, gently oxidative finish.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Textured from Estrela

Published 28. August 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

At the foot of the Serra da Estrela, Portugal’s highest mountain range, lies one of the coolest parts of the Dão. Here, vineyards at around 500 metres above sea level grow on the region’s characteristic granitic soils. Altitude and considerable differences between day and night temperatures help preserve acidity and give the wines a freshness and tension that distinguish this mountainous corner of central Portugal.

Textura Wines is a family project founded in 2018 by Brazilian-born Marcelo Villela de Araújo and his wife, Patricia Berardi. Based in São Paio, near Gouveia, on the slopes of the Serra da Estrela, they work organically and focus on terroir-driven wines from different vineyards and sites in the Dão. The project combines Araújo and Berardi’s vision with the winemaking of Mariana Salvador and consultant Luís Seabra.

Textura da Estrela 2023 is a white blend of 65% encruzado, 20% bical and 15% cerceal, sourced entirely from vineyards in the Serra da Estrela. The wine is spontaneously fermented in oak and aged for 11 months in used French foudres and barriques. The intention is not to make an oaky wine, but to use the wood to build texture while allowing the fruit, acidity and granitic character of the vineyards to remain at the centre of the wine.

Textura da Estrela 2023 (Textura Wines)

Medium-deep greenish yellow. The nose opens with ripe lemon, yellow apple and peach, followed by white flowers, dried herbs, hazelnut and a discreet smoky note. There is considerable texture on the palate – broad and slightly creamy, yet held together by fresh acidity. Ripe citrus and yellow stone fruit are joined by herbs, nuts and a distinctly savoury, saline mineral character. Dry, structured and persistent, with a long, slightly spicy finish. A substantial yet fresh mountain white from Dão.

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Wine of the Week

Now Corpinnat

Published 21. August 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

This was the first wine I shared with the woman who is now my wife. That alone gives Juvé & Camps Reserva de la Familia a rather special place in my wine memory. I also shared a bottle as the 1990s gave way to the new millennium. But the wine has a story that extends well beyond my own memories – and it has just entered a fascinating new chapter.

In April this year, Juvé & Camps announced that they were leaving DO Cava to join Corpinnat, becoming the 22nd member of the collective. It is a significant move: one of the historic names of Cava has chosen a body whose rules demand organic grapes, hand harvesting, vinification on the estate and extended bottle ageing, with a strong emphasis on the traditional varieties and viticultural identity of Penedès.

Reserva de la Familia itself has a particularly charming origin. It was originally made for the family’s own table – quite literally the family’s reserve – before being released commercially for the first time in 1976. It subsequently became the house’s emblematic sparkling wine.

The 2021 is a traditional Penedès blend of 50% xarel·lo, 35% macabeu and 15% parellada, from certified organic vineyards. Only the free-run juice is used. After a temperature-controlled first fermentation in stainless steel, the blend undergoes its second fermentation in bottle and spends a minimum of 36 months ageing there, thus a gran reserva. It is finished as brut nature, with no dosage.

Reserva de la Familia 2021 (Juvé & Camps)

Bright, clear golden yellow, with a persistent stream of very fine bubbles. The nose begins with crisp apple and white flowers, before opening towards fennel, dried Mediterranean herbs, toasted almonds and warm bread. With air there is a subtle creamy, lees-derived character, but the fruit remains fresh. The palate is dry and precise, with fine, beautifully integrated mousse and enough weight to give the wine presence without sacrificing tension. Apple, citrus peel, almond and lightly toasted bread lead into a savoury, gently saline finish. Elegant rather than showy, and impressively complete – a classic Penedès sparkling wine at a fascinating moment in its history.

Price: Low

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Wine of the Week

Beautiful brisat

Published 14. August 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Terra Alta, in the far south-west of Catalunya, is a landscape shaped by limestone, dry Mediterranean conditions and, crucially, wind. The cerç, blowing down from the interior, and the warmer garbí from the Mediterranean help keep the vineyards ventilated. This is one of Catalunya’s great territories for garnatxa blanca, a variety that has long been central to the region’s identity.

Celler Frisach is based in Corbera d’Ebre, where brothers Joan and Francesc Ferré established the winery in 2009, building on more than two centuries of farming in the family. Their approach combines organic viticulture with a determination to work with the traditional grapes and wine styles of Terra Alta.

Vernatxa 2023 is 100% garnatxa blanca – vernatxa being the traditional local name – from the Finca Quart vineyard. This has stony, calcareous soils, and the grapes are organically grown. This is a brisat, reviving the old Catalan tradition of fermenting white grapes together with their skins. After careful hand selection, the grapes ferment on their skins before the wine is matured in concrete and old 500-litre barrels. It is bottled without filtration, clarification or stabilisation.

Vernatxa 2023 (Celler Frisach)

In the glass, deep golden yellow with a slight amber hue. The nose is expressive but not overtly fruity: ripe pear and quince are joined by citrus peel, fennel, dried Mediterranean herbs and a subtle floral character. The palate has impressive texture and grip, with ripe yellow fruit, quince and aniseed balanced by vibrant acidity. There is a distinctly savoury, slightly saline and stony quality underneath the fruit, while the skin contact contributes gentle phenolic bite. Dry, structured and persistent, with a long mineral and herbal finish.

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Wine of the Week

Rosé with real drive

Published 7. August 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Penedès may be best known for sparkling wine, but away from the larger cava houses there is another side to the region: old vineyards, local varieties and a growing generation of growers looking back to traditional Catalan farming and winemaking.

Celler La Salada is the personal project of Toni Carbó and Anna Serra, based around the family vineyards near El Pla del Penedès. Toni, also one of the founders of Mas Candí, started La Salada in 2012, working with vineyards that have been in his family for generations and have never been subjected to intensive chemical farming. Today the approach is organic and biodynamic, with minimal intervention in the cellar and no additions, including sulphur.

Roig Boig – roughly “crazy red” in Catalan – is certainly an unconventional rosé. The 2021 is a field blend bringing together red and white Catalan varieties, including sumoll, roigenc, mandó, cannonau, mònica, torbat, parellada and xarel·lo. The grapes are harvested by hand and the wine is spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered, without added sulphur – very much in keeping with La Salada’s philosophy of allowing vineyard and fruit to speak with as little cellar manipulation as possible.

Roig Boig 2021 (Celler La Salada)

In the glass it is a striking, slightly hazy pale pink with touches of salmon and orange. The nose is immediately lively: wild strawberry, cranberry and redcurrant, followed by citrus peel, dried Mediterranean herbs, wild flowers and a faintly earthy, stony note. On the palate it is light and wonderfully energetic, with tart red berries, pink grapefruit and a distinctly mineral edge. Bright acidity gives it real drive, while a gentle phenolic grip adds texture. Bone-dry, fresh and slightly wild, with a savoury, herbal finish that makes the next sip almost inevitable.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

The Savoie-faire

Published 31. July 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Here is a vibrant expression of mondeuse, Savoie’s signature red grape. Nestled between dramatic mountains and cool lakes, Savoie is one of France’s most distinctive wine regions, where altitude and Alpine influences produce wines of freshness, precision and remarkable purity.

Domaine Genoux is a family estate based in Arbin, at the heart of the finest terroirs for mondeuse. The vineyards are farmed organically, with great care for biodiversity and soil health, while the cellar philosophy is one of minimal intervention, allowing each vintage and vineyard to speak for themselves.

La Belle Romaine is made from hand-harvested mondeuse, fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged mainly in tank to preserve the grape’s vivid fruit, peppery character and natural energy. The result is a wine that is both authentic and highly drinkable, capturing the distinctive personality of Alpine viticulture.

La Belle Romaine 2024 (Domaine Genoux – Château de Mérande)

Deep ruby with a dark purple core in appearance. The nose offers blackberry and crushed black cherry, complemented by violets, mountain herbs and a hint of graphite. The palate is fresh and finely structured, with juicy dark berry fruit, vibrant acidity and silky tannins leading to a long, mineral finish. A beautifully balanced and expressive example of mondeuse, combining purity, depth and finesse.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Yecla ancestral

Published 24. July 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

From the limestone vineyards of Yecla in Murcia comes Ancestral Bizarría 2024, a sparkling expression of malvasía that combines Mediterranean warmth with remarkable freshness. Grown at around 650 metres above sea level, the vineyards benefit from warm, dry days and cool nights, helping the grapes retain both acidity and aromatic complexity.

Bizarría Wines is the personal project of Vicente Ovejero, dedicated to reviving indigenous varieties and producing wines with minimal intervention. The vineyards are farmed organically, the grapes are harvested by hand, and fermentation takes place spontaneously with native yeasts. Every decision in the cellar is aimed at preserving the vineyard’s natural character.

Produced using the ancestral method, the wine undergoes a single spontaneous fermentation that finishes in bottle, creating its fine, natural mousse. Extended ageing on the lees, together with careful handling of the fruit, gives the wine its layered texture and distinctive golden colour with amber highlights, while remaining completely dry with no dosage.

Enjoyed at La Gracia natural wine bar in Murcia.

Ancestral Bizarría 2024 (Bizarría Wines)

Deep golden with glowing amber reflections and a delicate, persistent mousse. The nose opens with ripe orchard fruit, preserved lemon, Mediterranean herbs, dried flowers and freshly baked bread, underpinned by subtle notes of almonds and honeycomb. The palate is bone dry yet generous, combining creamy texture with vibrant acidity and a marked saline minerality. A gentle phenolic grip carries through to a long, complex and gastronomic finish.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Magnificent monastrell

Published 17. July 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

There is another side to Jumilla. Beyond the powerful, sun-drenched reds lies a new generation of winemakers searching for freshness, elegance and a more transparent expression of monastrell. Camaleónica 2022 by Doble de Pérez is a perfect example of this exciting movement.

Doble de Pérez is a small family micro-winery committed to expressing place. Jennifer Pérez Pérez is in charge of the winemaking. The grapes come from 50-year-old ungrafted monastrell vines growing at around 900 metres above sea level on limestone soils in the Hoya de Santa Ana vineyard. Hand-harvested fruit is fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, without unnecessary additives. Around a quarter of the grapes undergo carbonic maceration with whole bunches, while the remainder is gently crushed and fermented separately before the wine spends six months ageing in a combination of clay amphorae and previously used 300-litre French oak barrels. It is bottled unfiltered and unfined, with only a very small addition of sulphur.

Camaleónica 2022 (Doble de Pérez)

In the glass, the wine shows a bright ruby colour with youthful purple highlights. The nose offers wild red berries, woodland herbs, strawberry, carob and delicate floral notes. The palate is vibrant and silky, combining juicy red fruit with lively acidity, fine-grained tannins and a mineral backbone that gives remarkable freshness for monastrell. Long, energetic and beautifully balanced.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Pim Pam of Penedès

Published 10. July 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Produced by Vinyes Singulars in the hills of Alt Penedès, Catalunya, this wine reflects a landscape that is often overshadowed by Cava but is increasingly recognised for its vibrant, terroir-driven still wines. Old vineyards, limestone and clay soils, Mediterranean sunshine tempered by cooler nights and sea breezes all contribute to the wine’s freshness and energy.

The estate is run by Ignasi Seguí, whose family has cultivated these lands since the early 15th century. Farming is organic, and the philosophy in the cellar is one of minimal intervention: indigenous yeasts, no fining or filtration, and no added sulphites. Pim Pam is a field blend of traditional local varieties including xarel·lo, macabeu, parellada, malvasia de Sitges, garnatxa blanca and sumoll blanc, creating a wine that captures both the vintage and the character of Penedès.

Pim Pam 2023 (Vinyes Singulars)

Lightly hazy with a deep golden straw colour. Salty lemon, ripe citrus, melon, Mediterranean herbs, white flowers and a subtle savoury, nutty nuance. On the palate it’s fresh yet textural, with lively acidity, citrus fruit, mineral salinity and a gentle phenolic grip. The finish is long, savoury and remarkably refreshing.

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