COLOUR
Orange
TYPE
Still
VINTAGE
2022
GRAPE
Arinto, Trajadura
PRODUCER
Penhó Wines
REGION
Vinho Verde
CHARACTERISTICS
Body
Medium
Sweetness
Dry
Acidity
Medium - High
Finish
Medium - Long
Intensity
Mid - Pronounced
Tannins
Medium - Low
AROMAS & FLAVOURS
ABOUT THIS WINE
Quinta de Penhó is a historic 18th-century estate located in the Basto sub-region of Vinho Verde, Northern Portugal. After lying dormant for 20 years, the estate was passionately revived in 2017 by Ricardo Moreira, who left his career as a government advisor to return to his family's roots. The 'Verbum' (Latin for 'the word') series represents his low-intervention, skin-contact orange wines. Moreira crafts these wines to have a mysterious, alluring character, inspired by the character Kurtz from Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. The vineyards are farmed organically at high altitudes ranging from 180 to 550 meters on granite, quartzite, and schist soils, surrounded by rich biodiversity.
ALCOHOL
12.5%
AVG. PRICE
€24
STYLE
Natural
VEGAN
YES
SULPHITES
When to drink
Now or Later
Ideal temperature
10-12°C
INTERESTING FACTS
Fact 01
The estate's 300-year-old granite lagares are still used for foot-treading the grapes.
Fact 02
Winemaker Ricardo Moreira left his career as a government advisor in 2017 to revive his family's historic 18th-century farm.
Fact 03
The wine is inspired by the character Kurtz from Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, representing a mysterious and alluring 'stranger'.
Fact 04
The vineyards are surrounded by over 10,000 native trees, promoting a highly biodiverse ecosystem.
FOOD PAIRING
Read more
WINE MAKING PROCESS
The winemaking process at Quinta de Penhó follows a strict low-intervention philosophy where nothing is added and nothing is taken. Grapes are hand-harvested and foot-trodden in the estate's original 300-year-old granite lagares. Fermentation occurs spontaneously with wild, indigenous yeasts without temperature control. The wine undergoes extended skin-contact maceration in stainless steel before pressing. It is then aged in used French oak barrels for 6 to 12 months. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and unclarified, with only a homeopathic addition of sulfur and no other additives.
