About The Wine
Inside the bottle: This wine, made of 100% Loureiro, is a little bit different from the entry-level white from Quinta do Ameal. First, it is selected from what Pedro believes to be the best parcel on the estate. Second, it is vinified in ancient barrels to round out its tense acidity. It brings another level of texture and complexity with wax and devonshire cream next to lemongrass, dried thyme, white flowers, ocean spray, minerality and citrus notes. Once you open the wine, it doesn't immediately jump to its feet, but when it is standing up, its depth can be quite a surprise. In fact, the first time I tasted this wine was a 2002 that Pedro sent us and it seemed like it hadn't aged a day from its bottling ten years earlier. And, local vignerons told Pedro that Loureiro couldn't age… Well, when Pedro makes it, it does!
When I was last in Portugal, I drank Quinta do Ameal's wines with every type of food, from slow-roasted suckling pig, braised and BBQ'd octopus, and Portuguese sea bass that was caught about 15 miles from where this wine is made. Those three dishes were the very best examples of those meats that I have ever had in my life.
Terroir: The recipe here is very simple. Evening ocean breezes keep this area mild in the evening while keeping the daytime temperatures modest. The soil is made purely of granite and therefore imparts gentleness alongside of the intense acidity. The vineyards are organically farmed since the year 2000.