2024 Quinta da Raza - Minho Alvarinho-Trajadura Grande Escolha (750ml)

Quinta da Raza is a family estate in Portugal's Basto sub-region, owned by the Teixeira Coelho family since 1769 and now run by fifth-generation vintner Diogo Teixeira Coelho and his wife Mafalda. Their roughly fifty hectares sit at an elevation of 250 meters, shaped by the Tâmega River and the surrounding mountains, a setting that shields the vineyards from Atlantic winds and gives Basto a warmer, drier microclimate than much of the rest of Vinho Verde.

Grande Escolha is a blend of Alvarinho and Trajadura, drawn from a careful selection of the estate's best grapes and grown on the granitic, sandy loam soils typical of Basto, with pockets of clay and schist. The grapes are hand harvested into small crates, then pressed gently and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel. After fermentation the wine rests on its fine lees for about four months before a light filtration and cold stabilization ahead of bottling, a process built to preserve freshness and aromatic purity.

Pale and bright in the glass, this white offers fragrant notes of lychee, pear, and quince, layered with honeysuckle and peach blossom. The palate is ripe yet lively, with citrus acidity and a long, pleasant finish. It pairs beautifully with seafood, light fish dishes, or Asian cuisine.