Adega Viúva Gomes São Martinho Castelão Tinto 2023

Adega Viúva Gomes Colares was founded in 1808. Colares is a demarcated wine region defined in 1908. Viúva Gomes is one of the last remaining classic producers in Colares, Portugal’s most idiosyncratic region. An area of cliffs, bathed on one side by the Atlantic Ocean, with vineyards planted directly on ocean sands, Colares is unique in the world. These are some of the only vines in Europe that escaped the phylloxera epidemic of the 19th century. Colares wines are prized by collectors seeking a vinous window into the true nature of uncorrupted and undiluted old world wines. Due to its specific terroir, Viúva Gomes wines have a vibrant character. Dominated by sea storms and the southern influence of the Sintra hillside, it is a temperate region, and produces fresh and salty wines, with a lighter structure and high acidity.   With vibrant acidity and notes of red fruits, this wine is perfect to accompany light dishes from the land or the sea. Experience the authenticity of Colares with this blend of Castelão, Ramisco, Tinta Miúda, Molar and a bit of Touriga Nacional.

Genuinely lovely wine, right from the first sip. Fresh and tightly wound, with a perfumed lift of rose alongside cherry and raspberry, plus a nutty, chestnut-and-sandstone undertone. It's light-bodied but doesn't lack for presence — cranberry and raspberry fruit, a soft brush of tannin, and a lively, long finish full of energy. There's a delicacy to it that borders on ethereal, yet it never feels thin — a real mineral thread runs underneath. Beautifully tailored, thirst-quenching and thoroughly distinctive. A standout, and one that's hard to recommend enough.