Aphros - Phaunus Pet Nat Rosé

Hailing from the heart of the Lima sub-region in Vinho Verde, the Aphros Phaunus Pet Nat Rosé is a vibrant, low-intervention sparkling wine that embodies the mystical and ecological vision of its founder, Vasco Croft. This unique cuvée is crafted from an equal blend of two indigenous red grapes, Alvarelhão and Vinhão, which grant the wine a strikingly bright, light ruby hue that teeters on the edge of a pale red. On the palate, it is bone-dry and refreshingly brisk, offering a lively symphony of crunchy red fruits like pomegranate, wild strawberry, and sour cherry, all underscored by a distinct granite minerality and a touch of herbal complexity. The viniculture at Aphros is deeply rooted in biodynamic principles, a journey Croft began in 2006 to transform his family’s 17th-century estate into a self-sustaining ecosystem. The 20-hectare property is managed as a holistic organism where vineyards coexist with forests of oak and acacia, and the soil is nurtured through cover cropping, homeopathic preparations, and the exclusion of all synthetic chemicals.

In the cellar, winemakers Tiago Sampaio and Miguel Viseu employ the ancestral method, where the wine is bottled before the primary fermentation is complete, allowing the natural sugars to finish fermenting in the bottle without the addition of commercial yeasts or dosage.

This "Phaunus" bottling is particularly notable for its commitment to primitive techniques; it is produced with minimal electricity, relies on indigenous yeasts, and is eventually disgorged after a few months to ensure clarity while maintaining its raw, energetic character.