Quinta de Tourais - Lilipop - Ânfora Branco

A highly distinctive Douro white wine, it is a fascinating expression of Fernando Coelho's low-intervention philosophy, which marries the region's classic terroir with ancient winemaking techniques.

The wine is a field blend of traditional white varietals, predominantly Viosinho, Rabigato, Gouveio, and Esgana Cão, sourced from schist soils. The production is notable for its split vinification: roughly half of the blend, specifically the Viosinho, is fermented using indigenous yeasts in clay amphorae and allowed a seven-day period of skin maceration, acting as a curtimenta to extract texture and depth. The remaining portion of the blend ferments and ages concurrently in used French oak barrels. Following the fermentation process, the wine is aged for approximately six months sur lie in the same French oak barrels, a stage that contributes a creamy texture and integrates the influences of the amphora and the wood. This approach yields a naturally structured and complex wine, bottled with minimal intervention to preserve its character.

On the nose, the Lilipop Ânfora Branco immediately showcases its complexity with layered aromas of stone fruit—such as peach and apricot—interlaced with intense floral notes. The contribution of the amphora and skin contact lends subtle aromatic hints of tea, earthiness, and a delicate spice or nuttiness. The palate is defined by its structure and textural richness, an effect of the skin maceration and aging sur lie. It is dry and boasts a mineral backbone and well-integrated acidity, which maintains freshness despite its body. The tasting experience is highly gastronomic, marked by a harmonious interplay where the subtle clay influence and the quiet presence of the old oak converge, leading to a balanced and remarkably long, fresh finish that leaves a lingering saline and almond-tinged minerality.