I think Anselmo Mendes makes the greatest Vinho Verde in all of Portugal, and I am kind of obsessed with his new Contacto Alvarinho.
Composed entirely of Alvarinho (aka Albarino), this shows the richer side of the grape with its delightful notes of tropical fruits, orange zest, lime, jasmine, lemongrass, and mineral. Despite the fuller style here, this is still racy, crisp, and vivacious.
It's also on sale through Christmas Eve for just $18.99/bottle and over 20% off the regular price of $23.99.
That's Anselmo Mendes in the middle.
The other 2 fellas in that picture the Symington brothers, and the Symington family has been involved in the Portuguese wine trade since 1882. They own the famed Port houses of Graham's, Dow's, Warre's, and Cockburn's, and in 2022, they approached Mendes about partnering. He agreed, and with the backing of this well-funded family, Anselmo was given the opportunity to experiment a bit.....
Case in point is his Contacto Alvarinho, a still (not fizzy) white wine that sees some skin contact during fermentation. By allowing the skin and the juice to be in contact, thus the name of the wine, there's added body, richness, texture, and complexity here. This is the first vintage of this one, and what a debut! One sniff and sip, and you can immediately tell that it's made by someone who knows what they're doing.
The aromas are classic, the texture is full yet fresh, and the finish goes on and on and on. This is not your typical light and slightly effervescent Vinho Verde -- this is concentrated, and complex white wine that I'd put up against a lot of much more expensive Spanish Albarinos, and I guarantee you it would fare well.
If you're going to be enjoying fish or seafood at one of your holiday dinners, this wine would pair wonderfully.
$18.99/bottle is the best price, and I advise you to give it a try with or without food!
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville
