Variety: Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, Syrah, Trincadeira, Tinta Caiada, Arinto
Region: Alentejano, Portugal
Cost: $12 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Clear appearance and salmon color. Aromas of strawberries, raspberry, and a hint of mint. Fresh and elegant on the palate, with a long and balanced finish.
My Review: So fun fact–it’s a million degrees in North Carolina right now. That means any time I can get my hands on crisp, refreshing wines that are perfect chilled by themselves or with some food, I jump at the chance.
That means from the months of April through September we tend to drink lots of crisp, refreshing wines–especially rose’. Fortunately, with the 2021 Monte Velho Rose’ I was able to do just that.
In the glass the wine was a lovely, deep salmon pink color. On the nose I got aromas of white flowers, strawberry, and touch of whitec pepper. On the palate those strawberry notes carried over and were joined by tart red berries for a bright, fruity, and refreshing sip with just the right amount of acid and a touch of minerality, likely thanks to the granite and clay-loam structure of the soil at the vineyard.
My wife and I paired the wine with a mushroom lasagna recipe, and the tart berry, acid, and mineral notes did a great job of cutting through the richness of the lasagna.
My favorite thing about my experience with Portuguese wine, especially whites and rose’, is how easy drinking they are; they’reperfect for a hot day on the patio by itself, and pair really well with some of your summer favorites–seafood, shellfish, and a variety of grilled and BBQ meats.
For $13, the Monte Velho Rose checks all the boxes: it’s perfect by itself, really good with food, and at the price it’s easy to buy at volume so you always have it on hand.
Disclosure: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
