The Insider - April 2025
The spring has sprung and the rain showers seem to be drying up finally! We’re celebrating in style with some lovely transitional wines to start guiding your palates towards summer.
As always, wine descriptions below, and if you run out, you can order more from The Cellar.
Don’t forget, you can look up past boxes in The Archive.
Casa do Barrosso, Alvarinho Reserva
[grape/vintage] Alvarinho / 2024
[region] Vinho Verde
A brilliant golden straw color with subtle greenish hues, signaling freshness and complexity. The nose is vibrant and layered, offering an enticing bouquet of orange blossom and ripe peach. On the palate is rich and structured, with a silky texture balanced by crisp acidity.
Pairs well with rolled smoked salmon with scallop and green apple, a chicken picata, creamy risotto with a hint of lemon zest, aged but mellow cheeses.
Check it out in The Cellar.
Vira Cabeças, Tinto
[grape/vintage] Old Vines – Various (about 12 varieties) /2021
[region] Alentejo
A berry bonanza in your nose and on your palate all wrapped in elegance and charm and insouciance. This field blend of 12 different grapes from antique vines is a delightfully remastered vintage 45 with all the analog crackles of its origins. Picture Carmen Miranda with a headpiece made of wild berries, plums, red currants and cacao pods while smoking a Romeo y Julietta.
…fresh-picked forest mushrooms sauteed in garlic and butter, a creamy lasagna bolognese, or something strong and pungent like a spicy lamb tagine.
Check it out in The Cellar.
Cinética, Valpaços "Bush Wine"
[grape/vintage] Tinta Amarela, Bastardo, Vinhas Velhas / 2023
[region] Tras-os-Montes
Like driving a gold-rimmed Bentley down your throat. Intense and rich and delicious. Not for the faint-hearted. This 15.5% ABV beauty is an old vine field blend made from “goblet” vines which means the vines aren’t grown on trellises or supports. Basically, these grapes are tough SOBs, and their juice is complex and deeply layered. Plus 30 months in barriques and you’ve got a wine stinking of chocolate, cherry and black plum that you can really sink your teeth into. And only 550 bottled!
Pairs well with a grilled ribeye steak with garlic and rosemary, wild mushroom risotto, a charcuterie.
Check it out in The Cellar.