Arinto Ameixambar Adega do Vulcao 2018

The Arinto Ameixambar, from the Portuguese winery Adega do Vulcão, is a rare wine with a fruity and slightly smoky profile that faithfully reflects the character of the Azores islands. It is a small artisanal production of excellent quality, dedicated to enthusiasts in search of curiosities and bottles made in extreme terroirs of great scenic charm. The use of ancient indigenous vines and the volcanic soils give the wine unique aromas and make it a small jewel that must be tried.

Ameixambar Arinto Adega do Vulcão is a wine born from the love for the Azores islands of an Italian couple. Fascinated by the landscapes of these islands lost in the Atlantic Ocean, Gianni Mancassola and Cinzia Caiazzo first decided to move and then to start producing wine in the Azores. The estate covers some ten hectares, which also include some parcels of valuable old vines. The cuvée is made from grapes of Arinto dos Açores, Verdelho, Terrantez do Pico, from vineyards located in the area of Capelinhos, on the island of Faial, and from the 'lajidos' of Criação Velha, on the island of Pico. The vines are cultivated on soils of ash and stony ground, resulting from the disintegration of volcanic rocks. Harvesting takes place between the end of August and the beginning of September. The grapes are softly pressed and fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled cement tanks. The wine rests, first in cement, then matures for 4 months in French oak barrels without toasting, which allow for a slight micro-oxygenation, without transferring boisé notes.

The Arinto Ameixambar wine, from the small Azores island estate Adega do Vulcão, is a great white of terroir. Far from the standardisation of international taste, it takes us on a discovery of the aromas of indigenous vines and the personality of this isolated Portuguese archipelago. In the chalice, it presents itself with a luminous light yellow colour. On the nose, it expresses an aromatic palette characterised by a particular richness and breadth, with notes of lime peel, bitter orange, grapefruit, aromas of white-fleshed fruit, hints of medicinal herbs and clear sensations of smoke and flint. It is full-bodied on the palate, with fine aromatic density, a deep, persistent bite and a fresh, savoury finish, closing on smoky notes.