Susana Esteban 'Aventura Branco' Alentejo 2022

Although born in Spain, Susana Esteban has established herself as a winemaking icon in Portugal, and beyond, all within a remarkably short amount of time. With a degree in chemistry and a masters in enology, she began her winemaking career at Quinta do Côtoo, Douro, in 1999. In 2002, she moved to Quinta do Crasto where she worked as winemaker until 2007. After consulting for several wineries in Alentejo, she finally found the vineyards of her dreams on the granitic slopes of the Serra de São Mamede in Portalegre in 2011. She immediately made her presence known, with her wines serving as true liaisons to a nearly forgotten terroir and its treasure trove of old vines. In 2012, she became the first woman to ever be awarded “Best Winemaker of the Year” by Revista de Vinhos, Portugal’s premier wine publication. The ‘Aventura Branco’ is a blend of younger vines of local indigenous varieties (arinto is in there, we know for sure, the rest remains a mystery) from sites at roughly 400-600 meters of elevation. Fermented and aged in stainless steel for roughly 12 months on the fine lees, this is, in a word, lush. Broad and dense on the palate, it generously offers overripe tropical fruit and sea salt-like minerality. Is it almost a whisper sweet? We’re not sure we care either way, we just want another sip. Pair with duck liver mousse or a lemony cod en papillote. Organically grown.