Two legendary wine producers in Portugal – Anselmo Mendes and the Symington family – joined forces to produce Contacto Alvarinho 2024, a Vinho Verde from the Monção e Melgaço subregion in the northernmost part of Portugal, along the border with Galicia.
This wine is made with 100% Alvarinho and offers the classic citrus and acidity you should expect from both the region and the grape. The difference-maker here is that the grapes spent time in contact with the skins, adding an earthiness and tannic structure to the wine.
The wine then aged for a minimum of three months in contact with the fine lees, with bâtonnage, adding body and depth. Expect lemon, grapefruit, and earthy aromas, with minerality and mouthwatering acidity on the palate. This wine is for those who enjoy a unique, gastronomic white wine without overtly floral or fruity flavors.
On the other end of the spectrum, Vianna Alvarinho 2024 is fruity and floral on the nose, yet still crisp and dry on the palate. Once the wine opened up, the aromas took me to my great-grandmother’s lemon meringue pie, with tangy fruit notes reminiscent of the recipe.
But the palate offers more than you might expect: medium body, plenty of acidity, and a complexity that reveals layers of flavor – green mango, pineapple, and beeswax – evolving into a long finish. Vianna wines have received accolades among Vinho Verde producers for both quality and sustainability.
Find Contacto Alvarinho and Vianna Alvarinho at Apolónia for (€13.95) and (€10.49), respectively.
Read more from Adrienne Salerno about wine: A fresh Alentejo red perfect for spring or What is Madeira? And why should you have a bottle in your fridge?
