Alvarinho Soalheiro Pé Franco

Pé Franco means “ungrafted” and refers to the fact that this wine is produced from vines without grafting, which we planted 10 years ago in soils with a more sandy. Now, we decided to create a wine from this batch, giving body to an experience that began in vineyard and which culminates in this bottle, following the maxim of amplifying in cellar what the territory gives us.

The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard planted in Pé Franco, on soils with a sandier, in the Minho river valley. The vineyards, in Monção and Melgaço, benefit from a very particular microclimate, protected by the mountains from the influence of the Atlantic and with greater sun exposure, where warmer temperatures will give rise, on the one hand, to a more discreet aromatic component and, on the other, a greater concentration of tannins and greater complexity.

The grapes are de-stemmed and fermented in contact with the skins for approximately 2 weeks. After this period, they are pressed and, without the skins, the wine remains in a barrel where fermentation will finish and age. Throughout the evolution process, the barrel it is moved in such a way as to allow total batonage. In other words, when rotating the barrel, the fine lees that are at the bottom mix completely with the wine, which provide more structure and complexity.

Pé Franco has a floral and intense aroma, different from what is usual in a wine with the grape variety Alvarinho. In the mouth it is persistent, due to contact with the skins during fermentation, which gives it more body and a slight astringency.

It goes well with strong dishes, namely red meat and oven roasts.

Winery: Soalheiro
Region: IG Minho
Variety: Alvarinho
Year: 2021
Bottle: 750 ml 
Case: 1 bottles
Alc. Content: 11,0%
Standard Drinks: 6,52