A historically resonant wine, deliberately crafted as a modern interpretation of the traditional Portuguese Palhete style, which involves the co-fermentation of red and white grapes.
This wine originates from a selection of the Dão's field blends—vineyard plots where red and white grape varieties are interplanted—with one source notably being over a century old, all cultivated biodynamically on granitic soils. The Ainda Palhete is a co-fermentation of red and white grapes, a practice known in the Dão as mistura de castas, where the combined fruit is harvested and vinified together like a red wine. The 100% destemmed grapes undergo a cold soak pre-fermentation before starting an ambient, natural fermentation with indigenous yeasts. The wine sees approximately 15 days of skin contact (maceration) with red and white skins. Following the alcoholic fermentation, the wine is not fined or filtered, and it undergoes an extended maturation process for up to 18 months in stainless steel tanks. This choice of vessel, avoiding oak, is crucial for preserving the wine’s exceptional purity, freshness, and low-intervention character, all while remaining an expression of the region's historical terroir.
In the glass, the wine exhibits a color between a light ruby and a deep rosé, characteristic of the Palhete style. The nose is immediately captivating, presenting a vivid bouquet of fresh red berries—notably wild strawberries and pure cherry—underlined by subtle floral notes and a whisper of aromatic herbs. On the palate, it is defined by its tension and vibrant energy, offering a beautifully pure, live, and intense profile. While it possesses a core of delicious, crystalline red fruit, the wine is carried by a distinct, mouth-watering salinity derived from the granite soils and a bright acidity. It is medium-bodied with fine, smooth tannins. It often shows a faint presence of dissolved carbon dioxide from its maturation in stainless steel, enhancing its delightful freshness and drinkability. This is an elegant, sophisticated wine that is both complex and supremely approachable, offering a unique bridge between a structured white and a light-bodied red.
