An excellent value-for-money Alvarinho
Most of the good quality Alvarinhos out there cost close to or anything upwards of €10. I’m talking of the main label wines from the top producers such as Soalheiro and Anselmo Mendes and classics such as the excellent Palácio da Brejoeira.
Alvarinho to me is the white grape that best shows just how good Portuguese white wine can be, and there are many other producers out there worthy of mention making very good wines from this grape for considerably less money.
I recently found this one on the shelf at Apolónia, priced at €6.99, and was impressed. The elegant bottle design conceals a very elegant wine with abundant citric notes on the nose mingling with tropical fruits. In the mouth, the wine is well rounded with good acidity and a nice clean finish. The wine currently on the shelf is the 2016 vintage, already benefiting from a little time in the bottle whilst most of the other Alvarinhos on sale are now from 2017.
By Patrick Stuart
[email protected]
