Antonio Madeira Vinhas Velhas Branco 2023

Grape: Bical, Fernão Pires, Arinto, Cercial
Vintage: 2023
Type: White

Sourced from a field blend of Bical, Fernão Pires, Arinto, and Cercial vines aged up to one-hundred and twenty years old, this white wine reflects old-school Dão viticulture. António Madeira manages these ancient plots organically on decomposed granite soils high above sea level. The hand-picked grapes undergo a slow spontaneous fermentation with native wild yeasts in stainless steel. Most of the production stays in steel while a portion ages in neutral French oak barrels.

It pours a luminous straw-yellow color, releasing complex aromas of fresh wild herbs, white flowers, and wet stone. A sleek, medium-bodied frame balances a textured volume with gentle acidity. Flavors of green orchard fruit, lime zest, and wild fennel develop as the wine opens up. A pronounced saline quality runs through mid-palate, giving the mouthfeel pleasant structural tension. It finishes long and dry, leaving a refreshing mineral trace.