Winemaker Notes
Brilliant green-yellow in the glass. The nose shows lime zest, green apple, wet stone, and white pepper, with a profile that recalls the precision and tension of a Federspiel-style Grüner Veltliner. The palate is clean, concentrated, and incisive. Dry citrus and unripe pear lead, followed by tarragon, slate, and white pepper. The finish is focused and mineral, reinforcing the wine’s structure and clarity.
The flinty minerality and bright fruit of Asnella make it a natural match for oysters, shrimp, clams, mussels, and other seafood. Its precision and freshness also pair seamlessly with the clean, focused flavors of East Asian cuisine, where balance and purity are key.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
A cheerful, translucid, lemon-yellow and slightly pétillant white wine, Vinho Verde literally means ‘green wine’ and is named after the northwest Portugese region from which it originates. The ‘green’ in the name refers to the youthful state in which the wines are customarily released and consumed, not the color of the wine.
It is typically a blend of various percentages of Alvarinho, Loureiro, Trajadura, and Pedernã (Arinto). Following initial alcoholic fermentation, a natural, secondary malolactic conversion in cask produces carbon dioxide, giving Vinho Verde its charmingly light sparkle.