Roman Gonitel tells us his Portuguese Story, about his first encounter with Fernando Paiva’s wines and biodynamics at Quinta da Palmirinha:

The first time I experienced Fernando’s wines was on a beautiful sunny morning:
It was late November, it was was fresh but you could still feel the warmth of the early sun just starting to warm up the vinha (vineyard) rising the dew from the yellow and red tinged leaves. We sat at a table outside the shed where the wines are made (its a small production), and indulged in tasting both reds and whites. My lasting impression was the freshness, cleanness and optimism of that morning which were faithfully captured by the wines.

Fernando Paiva pioneered biodynamic principles in Portugal to create grapes of outstanding quality. Located in Sousa, Vinho Verde, at Quinta da Palmirinha it is mandatory to respect the soil and to stimulate the connection of the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms. This balance naturally imprints on the wines themselves which are produced from Loureiro, Azal and Arinto for white and Vinhão for red. Very typical grape types for the region, produced in pure conditions they are empowered to create vivid sensual experiences.

Fernando is an artisan who turned to winemaking after being a teacher. He is an integral part of the ecosystem along with the land, the plants and the animals that compose the entity that is his vineyard. The vines grow along with numerous other “weeds” among which chickens and domesticated birds inhabit- a diversity that generates a naturally sustained circle of life. The vineyard follows a biodynamic regime where water is dynamised and the work process is dictated by an astronomical calendar. This holistic agriculture is very demanding, but results in an incredibly expressive fruit.

This 2010 Loureiro vintage was fermented and matured in stainless steel tanks before being bottled after 3-4 months. It has since then aged in the bottle nicely, integrating the sugars and the acidity and further developing complexity on its mineral structure. The tastes are quite robust, but at the same time very delicate. Powerful, but unaggressive citrusy acidity keeps the freshness and youth, but does not overpower the complex undertones that last a long time.

This wine is incredibly fresh, vibrant, lively, aromatic and pure.
What does pure taste like? I hope you will appreciate when tasting it!

Find more about  Roman and Ricardo’s Portuguese Story here or jump straight in, and buy a case of Quinta da Palmirinha