Folias de Baco Uivo 'Curtido' Branco Douro 2023

Folias de Baco was started in 2007 by young, innovative winemaker, Tiago Sampaio, who was inspired by his grandfather’s vineyard work. He has a vivacious curiosity and loves to experiment at every step of the winemaking/growing processes. He has studied agricultural engineering and has a PhD in Viticulture and Enology from Oregon State University, where he picked up on modern philosophies and aesthetics of winemaking, never forgetting his Douro roots. Folias de Baco is in the Alto Douro, in the sub-region of Cima-Corgo where the land is very tough and challenging at a higher altitude, but it is an expression of tradition melding with modern techniques. The ‘Uivo Curtido’ is comprised of 100% moscatel galego from 35-year-old vines in soils spattered with schist and granite. The grapes are hand-harvested and undergo vigorous sorting in the vineyard. The grapes are partially de-stemmed but not pressed and allowed to macerate for four months, with spontaneous fermentation taking place with natural yeast in cement tanks. The extended skin contact gives the wine a beautiful peachy hue and tannins on the palate. Even more complexity comes from 2 months spent on the lees, and it is bottled unfined and unfiltered. As tasty as it looks, this bursts with jasmine, chamomile, and exotic wildflowers on a chewy grapefruit core! Organically grown, low-intervention/natural wine, vegan.