Highlights: A&D Wines Quinta de Santa Teresa Avesso 2020, Baião, Vinho Verde, Portugal
A&D Wines is a family estate, run by Alexandre and Dialina Gomes, located in Vinho Verde’s sub region Baião, on the border between Vinho Verde and the Douro Valley. The winery was established in 1991 on property that had been in the family for six generations. Quinta de Santa Teresa is one of three labels produced by A&D Wines, and is devoted exclusively to the production of Avesso, grown here on terraces separated by granite walls. Avesso means reverse in Portuguese, reflecting that this native grape is lower in acid and higher in alcohol than its local peers. From 20 year old certified organic vines rooted in granite and schist soils at 230m, this had 4 hours maceration time before a native ferment in stainless steel. It remains in stainless for one year, with 9 months on lees, and is bottled unfiltered. Pouring a deep yellow hue, this waxen wine floods the palate with honeycomb, quince, apricot skin, tangerine, and grapefruit rind. There’s a lovely citrus honeyed spice throughout, with a subtle buzzy granitic grip humming underneath. Very characterful and moreish. 92/100
