The Bomb Box
April - ‘23
feat. a juicy, yet breezy something from the Portuguese coast, another something that is elegant with sour cherries and volcanic spice from up in the island of Tenerife and another little something that is full of orangey apricots and chewy acidity.
Purista, ALF
Region: Lisboa, PT
Grape: Alfrocheiro
Ageing: 4 months in cement eggs
Vinification: semi-carbonic maceration, spontaneous yeasts in cement egg
Farming style: Uncertified organic
Soil: Clay & limestone
Vine age: 17 years
Notes: This wine is part of the first release from winemaker Ana Cordoso Pinto who produces wine in the subregion of Alenquer, Lisbon. Alfrocheiro which typically packs a punch when grown inland is all freshness and juicy fruit in this wine due to its soft fermentation in cement and semi-carbonic maceration. This is all topped off with this amazing sea-breezy salinity. Great served chilled!
Monte da Casteleja, Branco
Region: Lagos, Algarve
Grape: Arinto, Perrum, Boal
Ageing: Ageing in steel.
Vinification: 12 days skin ferment
Farming style: Organic
Soil: Clay and limestone
Vine age: 23 years
Notes: 3 indigenous Portuguese white grapes, one a very popular one (arinto), one a vary rare one (perrum) and one a very famous one (boal) due to its use in the fortified wines of Madeira. With 12 days of skin ferment it is definitely on the softer side of the orange spectrum. Super light to no tannins with juicy apricots and chewy acidity. There is also a fantastic geranium-like herbaceous character and an ever sos slight oxidised note.
El Lance, Suertes del Marques
Region: Valle de la Orotava, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Grape: Listán Negro, Castellana Negra, Vijariego Negro, Tintilla
Ageing: 11 months in French oak.
Vinification: Fermented in open cement tanks and plastic vats
Farming style: Traditional viticultural techniques without chemical usage.
Soil: Volcanic
Vine age: 100 year old ungrafted vines
Notes: Working in the Valle de la Orotava, Suertes del Marques produces this incredible red that gives the full expression of the volcanic soils. The vines are as old as 100 years old and a lot are pruned in this unique form of pruning or better said weaving they call ‘trenzado’. This softly-macerated wine is made up of a field blend of various plots of indigenous varieties that grow up to 300-600m.a.s.l. where they are exposed to the harsh trade winds that whip the island.