Quinta do Soalheiro Espumante 2016

It was once believed the World was flat. Sail too far, and you'd fall off the side. But intrepid individuals have long been prepared to risk everything in the name of exploration. Particularly the Portuguese, during the Age of Discovery. What many don't know is they had a secret. And this made them more confident, striking into the unknown.

In case the World was actually flat, the Portuguese developed a method of sending extra air into the sky, convinced this would create a bubble that would envelop the Earth and 'catch' them if they did sail too far. This air was delivered in the form of tiny bubbles, arising from fermented Alvarinho. They didn't need the back up, as it turned out. The only thing out of this world was the wine itself...

Quinta do Soalheiro is run by António Luís Cerdeira, the son of the founders. His father planted the first Alvarinho vine in their vineyards in 1974 when Antonio Luis was only two years old. Quinta do Soalheiro take an organic approach to winemaking with minimal intervention in both the vineyards and the winery.

Having been born into the world of wine, Antonio Luis has had a deep interest in viticulture since childhood. He graduated from the Oenology course at UTAD in 1994, the same year that he made his first harvest as a winemaker. He also underwent training in Burgundy.

This sparkling white wine is made using traditional methods. It has a citrus-yellow appearance with fine and persistent bubbles. The wine shows a good balance between acidity and alcohol with fruit aromas that reveal the Alvarinho grape. The palate offers mineral notes, persistence and good complexity.