An Alvarinho born from a vine planted in free standing
Soalheiro : : Wine
Soalheiro Pé Franco 2021
Pé Franco means “ungrafted” and refers to the fact that this wine is produced from ungrafted vines that we planted 10 years ago in soils with a sandier character. Now, we have decided to create a wine from this lot, reflecting an experience that started in the vineyard and ends in this bottle, following the principle of amplifying in the winery what the territory gives us.
Region: IG Minho
Alcohol (%): 11
Total Acidity (g/dm3): 5,7
Residual Sugar: Dry
Grape Varieties: Alvarinho
pH: 3,53
Volatile Acidity (g/dm3): 0,59
(The values are approximate)
It goes well with strong dishes, namely red meat and roasts.
Pé Franco has an intense floral aroma, different from the usual wine made with the Alvarinho variety. In the mouth it is persistent, due to the contact with the skins during fermentation, which gives it more body and a slight astringency.
The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard planted in Pé Franco, in soils with a sandier character, in the Minho River valley. The vineyards, in Monção and Melgaço, benefit from a very particular microclimate, protected by the mountains from the Atlantic influence and with greater sun exposure, where the warmer temperatures will result, on the one hand, in a more discreet aromatic component and, on the other, in a greater concentration of tannins and greater complexity.
The grapes are destemmed and ferment in contact with the skins for about two weeks. After this period, they are pressed and, now without the skins, the wine remains in barrels where it will finish fermentation and will age. Throughout the evolution process, the barrel is moved in order to allow a total batônnage. That is, when the barrel is turned, the fine lees at the bottom mix completely with the wine, giving it more structure and complexity.
