Quinta de Soalheiro Minho Alvarinho 2022 750ml

92 Points Wine Advocate | The Soalheiro Alvarinho is one of the top Alvarinho's in Portugal and is widely regarded as a benchmark for the region.

Soalheiro Alvarinho has a bright, lemon-yellow colour. This wine is distinguished by its fresh and elegant fragrance, revealing the aromatic complexity of Alvarinho variety.

The flavour has intense tropical and mineral notes that balance perfectly with the acidity and moderate alcohol content.

The so-called unoaked "classic," as it is colloquially known, is dry (2.5 grams of residual sugar and seven grams of total acidity) and comes in at 12.7% alcohol. As much as I liked the Granit this report, this is the winner to me in this price range. Firmer and more concentrated on the finish, it seems to evoke the essence of Alvarinho, while always showing off fine acidity.

At a rather nice price (even though it has ticked up a bit), at least compared to upper-level Vinhos Verdes these days, this is still a bargain. It's a solid wine that combines elegance, persistence and aging ability. It has enough stuffing to pair with food, but this is so fresh and pure, I mostly love to drink it on its own. Sit on the porch and knock this back on a sultry summer evening.