Descripción

Soalheiro toma su nombre de la parcela Soalheiro de la que provienen sus uvas. Una parcela con una excelente exposición solar, la condición que permite una buena maduración de la Alvarinho. Los suelos graníticos aportan mineralidad y complejidad a este blanco fresco y cítrico que en 2015 entrega una de sus mejores añadas. Cítrico, especialmente aromático, con recuerdos tropicales y un paladar mineral, fresco y elegante. Un imprescindible del vecino Portugal, con un precio fantástico. 

Ficha técnica

Tipo
Blanco
Añada
2015
Grado
12.8% vol.
Producción
90000 botellas
Subzona
Melgaço, Monção
Variedad
100% Alvarinho
Origen
Vinho Verde

Cata

Nariz
Intensa y equilibrada de fruta tropical y recuerdos minerales.
Boca
Elegante, mineral, fresco, con gran acidez,
Temperatura de servicio
Entre 8-10ºC
Consumo
Ahora y durante los próximos 3 años en óptimas condiciones de conservación.
Maridaje
Ideal como aperitivo, para acompañar mariscos o platos de pescado, y también aves.

Viñedo y elaboración

Descripción
Las uvas provienen de diversas y pequeñas viñas situadas a una altitud de entre 100 a 200 sobre el nivel del mar.
Edad
25 años.
Suelo
Suelos de origen granítico, fértiles y con elevada acidez.
Clima
Atlántico. Melgaço tiene un microclima particular por su ubicación, se encuentra protegido por un conjunto de montañas que equilibran las precipitaciones, temperatura y número de horas de sol. La añada 2015 fue perfecta y consistente.
Cosecha
Vendimia manual, realizada la primera semana de septiembre. Las cajas, de pequeña capacidad, se trasladan a bodega en el menor tiempo posible para preservar el perfil de frescura característico de Soalheiro.
Vinificación
Después del prensado, el mosto obtenido se decanta durante 48 horas, seguido de una fermentación a temperatura controlada con levaduras seleccionadas.
Envejecimiento
El embotellamiento se realiza después de la estabilización del vino y permanece en bodega un tiempo hasta que se comercializa.

Opinión de los críticos

The Wine Advocate:

"The 2015 Alvarinho is unoaked and comes in at 12.5% alcohol. As fans of this classic bottling know, it is very dry, most definitely not fizzy and typically a great value. It is glorious, expressive and fresh in this vintage. In the long, proud history of this fine estate, this seems to be as good or better as any standard, unoaked Alvarinho they have produced. It is also one of the best unoaked young Alvarinhos I've had. We'll see what the future brings--it won't be an unqualified success for Soalheiro if it does not hold well for a decade or much more--but I don't think there will be any problem here in that regard. It has fine supporting acidity, a bit of what I call these days "Soalheiro green," and wonderful fruit. Did I mention how delicious the fruit was, nicely supported by those laser bursts of acidity? It seems very elegant in other respects, even a touch delicate on opening, but that's deceptive. Its graceful demeanor made it easy to drink at first, but some hours later it was actually more powerful and more concentrated, plus perfectly transparent. It had opened and blossomed. As it sat in the mouth, the fine tension on the finish gripped the palate and enlivened the wine. Simply put, it is intense, tightly-wound, brilliantly structured and very concentrated. Since this is a Vinho Verde, the price point makes it a rather stunning value, too. I had the pleasure of tasting this not too long after it was bottled, but don't let that be a concern. This should hold well. Back up the truck. Grab them before they sit and bake on retailer shelves and delivery trucks over the summer. Store them properly. This will be fine for the foreseeable future. Sourced from vines averaging 25 years in age, there were 90,000 bottles produced."

Wine Enthusiast:

"There is a slight pepper character in this wine with its ripe fruits and fresh acidity. The result is a balanced wine that is not just about fruitiness but also full of character and with some complexity. The wine can be drunk now, although it will be better from the end of 2016."