Casa da Passarella Dao Branco 2021 750ml WHITE PORTUGAL

Casa da Passarella is one of the oldest and most important producers in the region. It is located in the Serra da Estrela sub region of the Dao. If that sounds familiar, you are right, one of the most famous cheeses from Portugal comes from the same region and carries the Serra da Estrela DOP. The Dao is a special region, it is surrounded by mountains that not only protect it from the vagaries of the Atlantic but the harshness of the Continental climate that defines the Douro, the Masseta of Spain and Southern Portugal. The protected climate and granitic soils help shape the character of these wines. This Branco is a blend of Encruzado, Malvasia Fina and Gouveio. After a short pre fermentation maceration the wine is fermented in stainless steel vats and a short period of aging with regular battonage. Burgundy is the region that most people would use as a comparison for the style of wines from this region, and in this case I think it is apt. The core of acidity and structure from the Encruzado maps fairly well to white Burgundy, the battonage helps too. The flavor profile is different, as it should be, with Gouveio and Malvasia the wine has more aromatic lift, and a fun mix of orchard and stone fruits as well as hint of mountain herbs. There is a lot of wine here.