Anselmo Mendes : Contacto 2021

Mineral and complex, a fine white wine from Vinho Verde

The estate

Anselmo Mendes, an agronomist, oenologist and consultant to numerous estates, created the eponymous estate in the 1980s.

His goal is to produce fine Portuguese wines that reveal the nuances of local grape varieties and their terroir of origin. Rooted in the Melgaço winegrowing area, the granite soil and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean create the perfect conditions for the vines.

Anselmo Mendes is the first to age his wines with the Alvarinho varietal, a typical northern Portuguese grape variety, in French oak barrels. This innovative approach gave his wines a round and complex expression that swiftly earned them an international reputation.

Critically acclaimed for his never-ending pursuit of excellence and innovation, Anselmo Mendes produces wines that are renowned for their freshness, minerality and rich, seductive aromatic palette.

The vineyard

Contacto 2021 by Anselmo Mendes is a Vinho Verde wine made from vineyards that are situated between 50 to 100 metres above sea level and rest on alluvial and granite soils. This terroir benefits from an oceanic climate.

Vinification and ageing

The hand-picked grapes are vinified with indigenous yeasts. Destemming before a 12-hour maceration. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks. No malolactic fermentation. Aged for 3 months in vats on lees, with regular stirring of the lees.

The blend

Alvarinho (100%).

Anselmo Mendes’ Contacto 2021: Characteristics and tasting tips

The tasting

Nose

Precise and crystalline, the nose gives off fruity and floral (white flowers) fragrances.

Palate

A full attack precedes a seductive palate that offers a mineral expression and a saline finish.

Cellaring

This Vinho Verde white wine can be cellared until 2031.

Service

For an optimal tasting experience, serve between 10 and 12°C.