‘Phaunus’

Loureiro, Arinto, Vinho Verde, Portugal 

Bone dry and bubbly, like taking your favourite clumpy fleece out of the dryer, slipping it on and really feeling its texture. Winemaker Vasco Croft took over his mother’s semi-abandoned 17th century family estate in 2003 in the Lima Valley (north of Vinho Verde). He cares for around 20 hectares of planted and forest land, six of which are vineyards and four of which are chestnuts orchards (who doesn’t LOVE chestnuts!), converting entirely to biodynamics in 2006. A 50/50 split of the floral loureiro and lively-acidic arinto were fermented in stainless steel to uplift aromatics, moved to bottle to finish fermenting without additions (aka ancestral method), and disgorged after three months to remove excess sediment. Lime pith, green apple candies, lemon blossom, laurel shrub, elderflower, green rhubarb, sourdough crust, seashell & melon skin. Vinho Verde lovers rejoice! This is your next bubble obsession.