Luminous golden yellow with a waxy sheen and fine green reflections.
Nose
Multi-layered notes of herbal tea, chamomile, fennel seed and honey pollen, underpinned by marjoram, ripe mirabelle plums, juicy nectarines as well as nuances of saffron and turmeric.
Palate
Compact and juicy with gentle phenolics, yet cool and clear as mountain water, carried by a fine stone fruit and herbal aromatic profile at a dancing 11% ABV.
Character
Puristic, refreshing and of a crystalline lightness that combines a remarkable structure with an independent, characterful profile.
Pairing
Excellent with steamed fish with fine herbs, Asian summer rolls with coriander and mint, or light poultry dishes with a delicate curry foam.
Notes
Unique ageing process, where the wine matures on the lees in concrete eggs for three months after fermentation in stainless steel tanks, giving it its fine texture.
Tasting note
Colour & Appearance
A luminous golden yellow, shot through with a waxy sheen and delicate, greenish reflections.
Nose
An intellectual, multi-layered experience that dispenses entirely with superficial sweetness. Herbaceous and floral notes of chamomile, fennel seed, honey pollen and marjoram dominate, underlaid with a cool, stony freshness. Ripe mirabelle plums, juicy nectarines and a touch of saffron lend the bouquet a dense, clear structure.
Palate
On the palate, the wine is slender and of an almost crystalline weightlessness. At just 11.0% abv, it flows across the tongue as clear as mountain water, carried by a fine, ripe phenolics that provides structure without appearing bitter. The aromas of fennel pollen and pale stone fruit resonate clearly. A fascinating interplay of dancing lightness and substantial density.
Terroir & Origin
The grapes for this wine grow in the historic Lima Valley, a sub-region of Vinho Verde. The vineyards of Aphros Wine have a southern exposure. The terroir is shaped by the vision of Vasco Croft, who has managed the family estate Casal do Paço according to biodynamic principles since 2003, creating a living ecosystem of vines, forests and wildlife here.
Grape Variety & Vinification
Single-varietal vinification from the indigenous grape variety Loureiro. The harvest took place on 21 September 2021. After partial destemming of the grapes, the must is fermented in stainless steel tanks. The wine owes its fine texture to three months of ageing on the lees in a concrete egg. The wine is consistently dry with less than 1.5 g/l of residual sugar.
Food Pairings
This puristic white wine is an excellent partner for steamed turbot with fennel vegetables, scallops in a saffron broth or a delicate herb risotto.
Special Features
The Melissae impressively demonstrates that Vinho Verde can be far more than a simple summer wine. The combination of the freshness of the Loureiro grape and the ageing in the concrete egg gives it an almost floating, delicate texture that is second to none in this appellation.
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