Anselmo Mendes Alvarinho Private

A white grape variety grown mainly in Portugal, in the Minho region, in the northwest of the country, Alvarinho wines are highly thought of in Portugal and other countries, and have become an important part of the country’s wine production. However, for many years, this variety was in danger of extinction due to the decline in its cultivation. It is thanks to local producers who have put effort into its recovery in recent decades, and this has seen the wines made with the variety become more famous and spread across the world. One of the people responsible for the recovery and promotion of this variety has undoubtedly been Anselmo Mendes. With a fearless and innovative spirit, he is considered one of the best producers of Alvarinho wines in Portugal and his wines have received numerous national and international awards and recognitions.

A good example of his great work is Anselmo Mendes Alvarinho Private. A single-variety Alvarinho white wine from the Minho Valley, in the Vinho Verde denomination. In order to show the authenticity of the place, he combines the recovery of ancient techniques with new technologies. The grapes are harvested by hand in small crates. In the winery, the whole destemmed grapes are gently pressed. The resulting must undergoes a long cold clarification and then ferments in new 400-litre French oak barrels. The wine is then aged in these barrels for 9 months with bâtonnage and finally bottled to spend 9 months in the cellar before release.

Considered one of the best examples of the Alvarinho grape in Portugal, Anselmo Mendes Alvarinho Private is a complex and elegant white wine, the result of an enormous passion for a region, and for the mastery of the native Alvarinho variety.