Humus 'Flui' Vinho Tinto Lisbon 2021

Located just an hour north of Lisbon lies Humus, the brainchild of Rodrigo Filipe who took over the family land from his father. If one were to time travel back to the 1960’s, the estate would look quite different - Rodrigo’s grandfather focused on polyculture, which was much more en vogue at the time. Now, the estate focuses solely on viticulture, with nine hectares of vines planted on the red clay and limestone slopes surrounding the property. The farm is almost shirelike, somewhat mythical in its remoteness. Untamed grasses freely unfurl between the rows, adding lush contrast to the deep red clay of the earth. No surrounding neighbors allows Rodrigo to freely work without chemicals and instead focus on fostering biodiversity. Certified organic since 2006, the vineyards are home to a uniquely cool microclimate that allows for lower alcohol extractions (don’t be surprised to see 11-12% abv on the labels). Rodrigo has also been dogmatic about no sulfur additions, establishing himself as one of the only Portuguese producers operating this way. This light-bodied red is comprised of 80% touriga nacional and 20% cruzado, an indigenous varietal to the region. The touriga nacional is vinified in stainless steel, while the cruzado is fermented in used oak barrels. Tart acid is balanced by blueberry fruit leather, pink peppercorn, and plum. Like the gemini twins, it equally embraces the light and the dark. Fresh, but brooding, you can opt to chill or not. Pair with lamb skewers and roasted vegetables. Certified organic, vegan.