2019 Soalheiro "Granit" Alvarinho Monção e Melgaço Portugal

A beautiful example of Alvarinho, originating from parcels planted in granitic soils at 300m, highlighting elegance, minerality and freshness. Notes of grapefruit, fresh dough and tropical fruit as well as floral and savoury notes enhance the sense of class and complexity. (DV Jr MW) (12/2020)

The 2019 Alvarinho "Granit" is an unoaked Alvarinho. It is very dry (one gram of sugar and 6.6 grams of total acidity) and comes in at 13% alcohol. Sourced from vines at over 300 meters in altitude, the goal here is to be dry and crisp. Well, yeah. This never projects as much fruitiness and depth as the regular (or, as they call it, "classico") Alvarinho, but it has stones in evidence and plenty of power. Nervy, tense and tongue-tingling at times, this is a big boy in terms of structure. It is pointed and focused. It is probably the best since the 2015, granted that they are not all here together at the same time. It is also a year where I might like this as much as the Classico, which I usually prefer. I wonder, in fact, if this is the best Granit yet. This is a fine value if you like them a little austere, precise and energetic. Don't misunderstand, though—the next day it was very expressive, showing beautiful fruit as well. You can drink this young, but you'll be better off drinking it next year. It will hold for a decade or so, maybe quite a bit more. (MS) (5/2020)