Anselmo Mendes studied agronomy and oenology in Lisbon before making a name for himself in the high spheres of winemaking over a period of years thanks to his talent as a consultant to many estates. Thereafter, Anselmo Mendes returned to the source by plunging back into the richness of his home region. Melgaço in Portugal embodies a terroir of choice for the cultivation of the prestigious Alvarinho grape variety. However, only a handful of estates still produced wines from this grape variety.
In the early 2000s, Anselmo Mendez restored the region to its former glory by highlighting the fabled aromatic character of the Alvarinho, Loureiro, Avesso and Vinhão grape varieties when carefully cultivated in Melgaço. Indeed, the granitic soils as well as the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean offer the perfect geological and climatic conditions to produce fascinating wines from their youth while promising a very beautiful evolution after a few years spent in bottle.
In addition to the richness of this terroir, this enthusiast innovates by bringing winemaking techniques hitherto untapped in the region. Among other things, he was the first to raise Alvarinho, the typical grape variety of northern Portugal, in French oak barrels in order to confer roundness and complexity to the resulting wines. Since then, international critics have hailed his visionary know-how by qualifying him as the most innovative Alvarinho producer in Vinho Verde.
Thus, the cuvées of the Anselmo Mendez estate are distinguished by their irresistible freshness and their beautiful minerality. Thanks to this harmonious aromatic character, the estate's wines are immediately very attractive. Subsequently, their structure and complexity give them exceptional ageing potential.
