Some highlights from the rest of Portugal.
Constantino Ramos works mainly in Minho, producing super-fresh, often saline wines, both white and red. This time I was particularly impressed by Juca 2024, where chestnut flowers are used instead of sulphur. Dark in colour with a faint bluish tone, the wine shows aromas of both red and darker berries. On the palate it is juicy and lively, with fresh acidity, a lightly saline touch and an extra layer of complexity. The finish is long and energetic.
At Materramenta – where Constantino also consults, working with Luís Vasco – the focus was on wines from three different Azores islands. I chose Materramenta D.O. Biscoitos 2024 a verdelho and arinto dos açores blend from Terceira, where the project has its headquarters. Pale straw in colour, it offers aromas of ripe apple and citrus. The palate is bright and lively, with good acidity and a clear saline note that reflects the Atlantic surroundings.
From Lisboa wine region, Quinta da Serradinha – located near Leiria in the northern part of the region, in the limestone hills of Encostas d’Aire – and António Marques da Cruz showed a range of stylish wines in different colours. Serradinha Branco 2024, made from encruzado and arinto, had 18 hours of skin contact, was fermented in barrels and aged ten months on the lees. The result is golden in colour, with aromas of yellow apple and herbs. The palate is mouthfilling and textured, combining weight with freshness. A second version with a higher proportion of arinto (around 65%) showed a little more acidity and tension.
From the Douro, Grau Baumé – represented here by Hugo Mateus and based around Peso da Régua – presented Undo Alvarinto 2021, a blend of alvarinho and arinto. The wine is light and aromatic, with citrus and floral notes on the nose. On the palate it shows moderate weight, lively acidity and a clean, refreshing finish.
Tiago Sampaio, also from the Douro (and not far away, from around Alijó), poured Uivo Chronológico Ancestral 2018, a pét-nat made from pinot noir. Many people claim that pét-nat cannot age, but Tiago is keen to demonstrate the opposite. The wine is light golden in colour, with subtle brioche notes and fine, well-integrated bubbles. The palate is dry, complex and gastronomic – the kind of sparkling wine that works beautifully at the table.
Finally, from Vidigueira in Alentejo, Natus and Hamilton Reis presented Natus 2023. Vidigueira is known as a white-wine enclave in a region dominated by reds. This roupeiro-antão vaz-gouveio blend shows a light golden colour, with a deep and layered aroma profile. On the palate it is broad and complex, combining ripeness with freshness and a long, balanced finish.