Anselmo Mendes Muros Antigos Escolha Vinho Verde 2023

94 POINTS: Wine Direct Tasting Team

"Bright, pale straw with a green hue, this is classic Atlantic-influenced Vinho Verde with lifted aromatics of citrus blossom, lime zest and fresh green apple, layered with hints of white peach and subtle herbal notes. The palate is vibrant and precise, driven by crisp acidity and a fine mineral line, with juicy orchard fruit and a lightly saline edge adding freshness and energy. Textural from time on lees, yet still taut and refreshing, finishing long, clean and zesty with a gentle herbal lift."

If you’re looking for dry, aromatic, mineral white wines, this is a sure thing. A blend of Alvarinho (the same variety as Spain’s Albariño), Loureiro and Avesso, it has bright yellow stone fruit aromatics, a stern, fresh palate with a saline lick on the finish. It’s all very poised. You might know Vinho Verde as the spritzy, quaffy white white of northern Portugal, but rather than being a variety or wine style, Vinho Verde is actually a growing area. Anselmo Mendes has been instrumental in exploring a wider range of wine styles from this Atlantic influenced region, including this delicious drop.

Having grown up in Monção in the north of Portugal, Anselmo Mendes studied agronomy, soon to specialise in winegrowing. After a successful career consulting to other wineries, in 1998 he established his own estate in the region he grew up in. He is one of Portugal’s most celebrated wine producers, and has brought to light just what the DOC of Vinho Verde is capable of.