Score: 90/100
This Colheita Seleccionada white wine by Heredade de São Miguel (understand ‘Selected Harvest’) comes from the Alentejo region in south-central Portugal.
It is made from a blend of Antão Vaz, Verdelho, and Viognier grape varieties, hand-harvested, fermentated under controlled temperature (15º to 18º) in stainless steel tanks (for 50% ofe the wine) and in 400L oak barrels (the the other half) during 20 to 30 days. The ageing was run for 50% in French oak barrels for 4 months.
Some Wine Facts: Alcohol: 12,7% | Total Acidity: 5,3g/l | pH: 3,38 | Volatile Acidity: 0,26g/l
Tasting Notes
This Portuguese white wine comes in a bright and shiny lemon-yellow color of medium intensity. Touches of shiny gold hues make it look particularly sparkly.
The nose is quite vibrant too, filled with plenty of tropical aromas of pineapple and ripe mango, as well as apricot and yellow peach. Pungently fruity, but that’s not all…
There are clear notes suggesting an ageing on lees, sour dough and brioche, hints of hazelnut, and well-integrated sweet spices. A little of an oaky edge overall to the smell, but balanced. Despite the fruit, the wine feels spicy and slightly waxy for a young white, showing some evolution.
The palate is dry, with no signs of residual sugars, but its round body, oily texture, and the wealth of bursting fruity flavors more than compensate, balancing the wine out perfectly providing a sense of sweet generosity.
Like on the nose, plenty of apricot jam tones, ripe pineapple, kiwi fruit marry touches of floral notes of lily. Honey and always a little wax. Clove and nutmeg spices to the finish, with a lifted oak as well, vanilla and burnt caramel.
Overall
A very pleasing and complete white wine. On the generously fruity side of things, with a wealth of leesy and oaky notes as well, the whole feels round and generous, yet with enough freshness and solid-enough a mineral acidity to provide a balanced and very satisfying whole.
Enjoy 🙂
Please let me know your thoughts