Elegance and authenticity are in each bottle of Alvarinho produced in the northern areas of Portugal. Having visited the regions four times, my fascination with this indigenous grape is endless. When I received a recent opportunity to taste Mendes & Symington’s Contacto Alvarinho 2025 ($22) as a sample, no hesitation was needed.
If this grape wasn’t alluring enough, the producer, Anselmo Mendes, sealed the decision. In fact, during one of my trips to Porto and the north, our group spent an afternoon tasting many of Mendes’ wines followed by an evening with luscious Portuguese fare for pairing. Fondly known as “Mr. Alvarinho,” Mendes doesn’t consider himself a winemaker, although he is! Instead, he prefers to be considered “an experimenter.” Well, what he’s doing is highly successful – his wines are internationally lauded and his name is a force in the industry. Since 2022, Mendes and Symington have partnered and their wines continue to reflect the distinctive terroir of DO Vinho Verde in northern Portugal.
Snapshot of DO Vinho Verde in Northern Portugal
Many people, including those in Portugal, still refer to Vinho Verde as though it were a particular style of wine. In fact, Vinho Verde is a wine region and Denominação de Origem (DO) encompassing much of northwest Portugal. Officially demarcated in 1908, the region is divided into nine distinct sub-regions: Amarante, Ave, Baião, Basto, Cávado, Lima, Monção e Melgaço, Paiva, and Sousa. Each has its own combination of soils, elevations, microclimates, and grape varieties, contributing to the remarkable diversity found among Vinho Verde wines.
The region stretches from the Atlantic coast into the interior and is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, mountain ranges, and numerous river valleys, including those of the Minho, Lima, Douro, Tâmega, Ave, and Cávado. Rainfall is plentiful, particularly during the cooler months, while maritime influence generally keeps temperatures moderate. The geography creates important differences among the nine sub-regions. Monção e Melgaço, for example, is protected from the strongest Atlantic influence by surrounding mountains and experiences warmer, drier summers, conditions particularly well suited to Alvarinho.
Soils are predominantly granite, although schist, gneiss, sandy-pelitic deposits, alluvial soils, and other formations occur in parts of the region. This geological diversity, combined with the region’s microclimates, helps shape the freshness, acidity, minerality, and distinctive character associated with many Vinho Verde wines.
Today, the Vinho Verde wine region encompasses approximately 17,268 hectares, or about 42,675 acres, of vineyards. The region includes approximately 6,700 economic agents, around 1,400 wine brands, 45 grape varieties authorized for the DO Vinho Verde, and 67 varieties permitted under the broader IG Minho designation. Annual production is approximately 96 million litres, with wines reaching more than 100 export markets around the world.” Excerpts from Vinho Verde
Contacto Alvarinho 2025 is from Fruit that Thrives in Monção e Melgaço
Within Monção e Melgaço, the Alvarinho grape is considered a “noble variety” since the area produces some of the most expressive examples. Characterized by complexity and elegance with excellent aging potential, Alvarinho thrives in the region’s moderate climate. Mountain ranges surround the area on both Portuguese and Spanish borders. A combination of rain, temperature and aspect to the sun is optimal for the grape’s ripening and maturation abilities.
For Contacto Alvarinho, low altitude vineyards located near the river with granite soils of sandy loam texture and alluvium and fluvial terraces offer minerality and lush complexity. Refreshing sips of the wine paired with raw oysters during aperitivo were stunning.
Photo Credit: www.foodandwine.com
On the nose, intense aromas of citrus, crisp apple, stone fruit, and signature minerality were a brilliant entry. The vibrant palate sparked with notes of more citrus and minerality, spritz of grapefruit, herbs, breezy salinity, light peaches and juicy melon leading to a long, creamy finish. The name “Contacto” refers to “winemaking precision required for a sophisticated expression [of Alvarinho.] A short maceration before fermentation-a technique that adds layers of complexity and flavor-followed by three months of aging on fine lees with regular batonnage” resulted in depth, creaminess, structure, and texture.
Mendes & Symington’s Contacto Alvarinho 2025 is incredibly well-priced and comes with a notable pedigree of Anselmo Mendes and Symington. This is a wine to always keep chilled and at-the-ready. Enjoy!
Cheers! ~ Cindy
Photo of Canadian Sommelier Christopher Wilkins, Anselmo Mendes, and me in Portugal
