Granit Alvarinho

Soalheiro

APPELLATION

Monção and Melgaço, Vinho Verde DOC

GRAPE VARIETIES

Alvarinho

WINEMAKERS

António Luís Cerdeira

TECHNICAL DATA

Acidity
3.31
Alcohol
12.5%

2022

91POINTS

Wine Advocate
JUNE 2023
2021

92POINTS

JamesSuckling.com
JANUARY 2023
BACKGROUND

Quinta de Soalheiro is a leading wine estate nestled in Portugal’s verdant north, whose story and output is inseparable from the climb to international renown of the Alvarinho variety and the wines from Vinho Verde’s Monção e Melgaço subregion.
Soalheiro was founded in 1974 when João António Cerdeira and his parents, António Esteves Ferreira and Maria Cerdeira took the bold decision to plant a single, sun-soaked parcel of farmland entirely to Alvarinho. At the time, this decision was in stark contrast to the traditional practice of Portuguese farmers, which relegated grape vines to grow up pergolas planted at the periphery of dense cereal crops like maize. It was in this spirit of innovation and progress that one of western Iberia’s great wine producers was born. Today, third-generation siblings Maria João and António Luís, along with their mother Maria Palmira Cerdeira, continue to test limits and break new ground in pursuit of the finest expressions of their territory by way of the noble Alvarinho grape.
Rightfully bearing the name Granit, this wine is all about minerality. It offers less fruit and more acidity, revealing an unusual dimension of Alvarinho from granitic, high appellation vineyards. Its elegance and crisp texture make it a very gastronomic wine.

TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES

Granit is made from Alvarinho grapes from a specific selection of small vineyards planted in granitic soil. Today, these vineyards lie at around 400 meters in altitude in the sub-region of Monção and Melgaço. As the vineyard placement increases in altitude, the fruity characteristics of Alvarinho give way to more acidity and mineral notes. The parcels are chosen due to the minerality and less fertile qualities of the soil, causing the roots of the Alvarinho grapevines to root deep in the mountain slopes to find nutrients.

2023 was a winter with abundant rainfall, with enough water reserves for a good development of the vegetative cycle. Sprouting occurred in the second half of March and full flowering occurred in mid-May. June brought complications: Weeks of unstable weather, where periods of heat and strong sunshine alternated with periods of heavy rain and mornings of dense fog, but winegrowers managed to carry many of the clusters to harvest.
Harvest began on August 23rd with some parcels of organic Alvarinho, from vineyards in the valley, which, due to good sun exposure, were already ready to go. Due to the early start of the harvest, the alcohol levels were, in general, lower than in the previous year, but acidity levels were similar to the previous year, resulting in a good balance of the wines.

WINEMAKING

The grapes from these high-altitude vineyards are harvested by hand. After pressing, and before fermentation, the must is clarified. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats at a higher temperature than is usual for white wine (72°C). This ensures that Alvarinho’s naturally fruity character does not outshine the delicate minerality that is sought after in this wine. Bâtonnage and ageing on the fine lees improve the structure of the wine before its bottling.
This wine is produced in a way that is vegetarian and vegan friendly.

TASTING NOTES

Granit has a bright, lemon-yellow color, exhibiting elegant aromas with more mineral notes. The taste is crisp, dry, and persistent, with more earthy and stony flavors. There is a sensation of saltiness on the palate, reflecting the impact of the granite soils on Alvarinho.
With its mineral flavors and bracing acidity, Soalheiro Granit especially complements Mediterranean cuisine such as seafood, grilled fish, or oven-baked fatty fish. It also pairs well with white and smoked meats, mature cheeses, or delicate Asian dishes such as sushi or dumplings.

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