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91POINTS
16¾/20
Azores Wine Co. Rosé Vulcânico 2017
PortugalAntónio Maçanita is best known for his FitaPreta wines in Alentejo, though with his newer venture he looked to the volcanic islands of the Azores. Very little of this rosé is made - only 6960 bottles of this vintage - though lucky Ontario scores 120 cases annually. The Azores, a volcanic archipelago and wine region in the Atlantic off Portugal, grow wine grapes on three of the nine islands. This is from the island of Pico and its pure volcanic, black basaltic, scrabbly rocky soils. This blends 5-30+ year old saborinho, agronomica, aragones, touriga nacional and many other co-planted varieties across 13 vineyards, sustainably grown in wee plots (2 to 6 bush trained vines per square), planted in 1991 at sea level. Stainless steel preserves the crisp fruit, and no maceration created the appealing scant orange hue. The 600-1000L stainless barrels were lain on their sides to give more lees / wine contact and texture on the palate. Super salty, briny and savoury from first whiff to the finish, this marine wine is not about fruit, though there are kisses of young strawberry and wild raspberry that line the slip of the mineral-dominant palate, one that lingers with bergamot / aperol bitterness. Smashable, and for drinking now, liberally.Tasted: 29 August 2018Tasted by: Treve RingPrices:| ON | $23.95 | 750ml | Ontario |
Substrat Wine Company
Blend: Saborinho - Agronomica - Aragones - Touriga NacionalUPC: 5600869590008
