Cigarra White 2015

Lemons are great. You can squeeze them on fish to make the fish more lovely and you can put them in water to make a nice little hand wash. However, they are blimming sharp.

So, what we prefer is a WINE that TASTES like lemons, but doesn’t make you screw your face up and wince! Plus, it has other flavours, like quince and pear, which are awesome. Overall, we think that’s Cigarra 1: Lemons 0.

Cigarra hails from the Lisboa region, northwest of Lisbon, which was until recently known as Estremadura. Hugging the Atlantic coast and with hills and mountains further inland, the region offers plenty of cooler, vine-friendly habitats.

The main traditional white varieties in the Lisboa region are Arinto, Fernão Pires, Malvasia, Seara-Nova and Vital, and, for reds, Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Castelão, Tinta Miúda, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira, but many other national and foreign grapes are now used.

Casa Santos Lima has been a family business for four generations. Today, under José Luis Oliveira da Silva, it owns several estates covering some 280 hectares in the Alenquer, which is the most prestigious DOC appellation within the Lisboa region.

Made with a blend of Fernão Pires, Arinto and Seara Nova, the grapes are de-stemmed and pressed, with the wine coming exclusively from free run juice. Temperature-controlled fermentation takes place at between 12C and 14C.

Bright yellow colour, Cigarra White is an aromatic and fruity wine with intense citrus and tropical aromas. It has firm structure, yet feels light and fresh on the palate. A lively and very well-balanced wine.