A still red wine made from the autochthonous grape Vinhão, which was foot-tread in a granite lagare and fermented with ambient yeast. Unlike the traditional local Vinhão, this wine did go through the softening step of malolactic fermentation—yes, the original is a malic red wine, a curiosity with few fans outside of its native habitat. But the Vinhão grape has a bloody earthiness and strident tannins, making it, unblemished, a good match for rustic, rich, and savory local foods.
Despite the softer handling, this wine is bloody enough, with a scent of raw meat and roses, savage red fruits, pennies and steel. The tannins, though, are in check, and the acid framework is pliant, making it a refreshing red that can be cooled down to partner with warm sun and rare flesh.
11% abv | Aphros works with Michael Skurnik in N.Y. and Winewise in Calif.
Sample tasted at the winery on 19 May 2016.
Read A Conversation With Vasco Croft Of Aphros: Part One and Part Two.
