Tag: organic

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

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

Alvarelhão rosé for summer

Published 3. July 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

When people think of Monção and Melgaço, they almost always think of alvarinho. Yet this cool, Atlantic corner of northern Portugal is also home to a number of fascinating indigenous red varieties. One of the most distinctive is alvarelhão – a historic grape that was traditionally used for light, fresh red wines. In recent years, however, a growing number of producers have discovered its remarkable potential for elegant rosés, where its naturally vibrant acidity and delicate red-fruit character come beautifully into focus.

This wine is made by Quinta de Santiago, a family-owned estate with deep roots in Monção. The family farms its vineyards sustainably, with great respect for the local terroir, aiming to produce wines that express purity rather than power. This alvarelhão rosé 2024 is made entirely from alvarelhão, with gentle pressing and careful temperature-controlled fermentation to preserve the grape’s freshness, aromatic purity and vibrant Atlantic character.

Alvarelhão 2024 (Quinta de Santiago)

Brilliant pale salmon with delicate copper highlights. The nose is refined and expressive, offering wild strawberries, raspberries, pink grapefruit, rose petals and a subtle hint of fresh herbs. The palate is dry, crisp and beautifully balanced, combining juicy red berry fruit with citrus freshness and a fine mineral backbone. The finish is long, clean and mouth-watering, making this an irresistible summer rosé and a superb partner for seafood, grilled fish and Mediterranean cuisine.

Price: Low

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Wine of the Week

Varietal Antão Vaz

Published 19. June 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Alentejo may be best known for its powerful reds, but its native white grape antão vaz can be every bit as expressive. Traditionally, antão vaz is known for producing full-bodied wines with generous texture, moderate acidity and aromas that range from citrus and stone fruit to tropical fruits, often with a distinctive herbal and mineral edge. In the warm climate of southern Alentejo, the variety develops richness without losing its characteristic freshness when grown in the right sites.

Antão Vaz da Malhadinha 2023 comes from the rolling schist soils of Albernoa in southern Alentejo. It is produced by Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, one of the region’s pioneering family estates, renowned for combining modern precision with a deep respect for the surrounding landscape and biodiversity.

This single-varietal wine originates from the Peceguina vineyard and is made from hand-harvested grapes picked during the cool early hours of the morning. After careful sorting, the grapes are destemmed, gently pressed and fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks, preserving the purity and character of the fruit. The result is a wine that captures both the generosity of the grape and the freshness of the site.

Antão Vaz da Malhadinha 2023 (Herdade da Malhadinha Nova)

Pale straw yellow in appearance with bright clarity. The nose offers aromas of ripe peach, pear, melon and citrus, accompanied by subtle floral and mineral notes. On the palate it is fresh yet generously textured, with ripe fruit, balanced acidity and a broad, mouth-filling structure. The finish is long, harmonious and persistent, showing both varietal character and elegance.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Beautiful Bandol

Published 5. June 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

The Mediterranean coast of Provence has become synonymous with rosé, but not all Provençal rosés are created equal. Château La Suffrène is situated in the Bandol appellation, one of the region’s most distinctive wine areas. Sheltered by hills and cooled by sea breezes from the Mediterranean, Bandol is best known for mourvèdre, a grape that brings structure, character and longevity even to rosé wines.

The estate has been in the same family for generations and today farms around 50 hectares of vineyards surrounding the château. The vineyards are cultivated with respect for the local environment, and the focus is firmly on expressing the character of Bandol’s limestone-rich soils and sunny maritime climate.

Domaine La Suffrène Rosé 2024 is made primarily from mourvèdre, supported by grenache and cinsault. The grapes are harvested at night or during the cool hours of the morning to preserve freshness. After gentle pressing, fermentation takes place at controlled temperatures in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then matured on its fine lees for a short period to enhance texture while retaining its bright fruit profile.

Domaine La Suffrène 2024 (Ch. La Suffrène)

In the glass, the wine displays a pale salmon-pink colour with delicate copper highlights. The nose offers aromas of wild strawberry, white peach, pink grapefruit and Mediterranean herbs, accompanied by a subtle saline note. On the palate, it is dry, fresh and beautifully balanced, combining ripe red berry fruit with citrus-driven acidity and a gentle mineral undertone. The finish is long, clean and refreshing, leaving a lingering impression of sea breeze and Provençal sunshine.

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Wine of the Week

Pure white Priorat

Published 29. May 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Priorat is often associated with powerful reds grown on the region’s dramatic llicorella slate soils, but white wines have long been part of its history. Terroir Històric Blanc 2023 is an attempt to capture the essence of the entire appellation through fruit sourced from old family vineyards spread across several villages in Priorat. The rugged landscape, steep slopes and poor slate soils give the wines their distinctive mineral character.

The wine is made by Terroir al Límit, the project founded by Dominik Huber in Torroja del Priorat. Since its inception, the estate has championed a less extracted and more transparent expression of Priorat, focusing on site rather than power. The Històric range was created to showcase the wider region and to support traditional vineyards and local growers.

The 2023 vintage is a blend of approximately 75% garnacha blanca and 25% macabeo. Fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts, largely using whole clusters, followed by maturation in concrete and stainless steel vessels without new oak. The aim is freshness, texture and a clear sense of place rather than winemaking artefacts.

Terroir Històric Blanc 2023 (Terroir al Límit)

In the glass, the wine shows a pale straw colour with bright reflections. The nose offers citrus peel, white peach, apricot, Mediterranean herbs and a subtle saline note. On the palate it is textured yet energetic, combining ripe orchard fruit with vibrant acidity and a distinctly mineral backbone. The finish is long, savoury and lightly salty, leaving an impression of both freshness and depth.

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