A true wine of terroir, specifically Menção e Melgaço. Despite being only 10 years old, the Tentilhão plot that gives rise to SOU Alvarinho has a great vegetation poise and a well-balanced ripening with an amazing capacity to retain natural acidity. Manual harvesting, soft pressing, natural decanting. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts. 40% of the juice fermented in used 400-liter barrels, where it completed the malolactic fermentation spontaneously. Slow fermentation of 60% of the juice in the vat. Aging for 9 months on top of fine lees 3500 bottles.
Joana Santiago took up the challenge from her Grandmother: to take their humble farm, which was only selling grapes to the local co-op, and present it’s unique soul to a wider world by bottling wines embossed the family name. Her area was already known for quality grapes, specifically within Menção e Melgaço, so she knew the quality was in her vines to express excellence. That assured, without a specific identity so to speak, to allow for something new would take certain self-reflection, dedication and a generous sense of humility. Most in the region crank out casually-consumed sprtizy Vinho-Verde. She made one too, but used it as a first way to raise the bar.