Adega de Moncau Vinho Verde

Adega de Moncao was founded by 25 grape growers in 1958. There are older co-operatives in the country, but few as well-adapted to making wine styles for the modern market as this one.  The area under vine has grown steadily over the past 60+ years, and now there are 1,700 members who farm, between them, around 1,300 hectares. This makes the Adega de Moncao responsible for around half of all the Alvarinho grown in this region. It can reasonably claim that this part of the country is the original home of the grape and still the source of the best wines.  The other significant white grape here is Trajadura. Red grapes are still important too, but they have significantly reduced in the last 30 years, and now represent less than a half of overall plantings. Sales of reds are limited to the Portuguese market or to Portuguese communities abroad.

TASTING NOTE: Very pale lemon-green colour, aromas of this Vinho Verde are clean and pure, recalling fresh limes and honeysuckle. Palate is light, zippy and fragrant – very energetic, with an attractive, enlivening spritz. This is a gloriously fresh white wine, with pithy acidity and a long, crisp finish.