Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesLoureiro is the grape par excellence of the Lima Valley, home to this producer. With ripe lemon and pure green-fruit flavors, the wine is both textured and bright
Located in the Lima sub-region, in the Vinho Verde wine region, Quinta do Ameal is a historic property with records that date back to 1710. Extending along 800 meters of riverbank, the Estate measure approximately 30 hectares, 14 of which are occupied by organix Loureiro vineyards. Over the years, Ameal has become a pioneer in establishing the capacity of the Loureiro variety to produce high quality white wines with great ageing potential.
The combination of Quinta do Ameal’s unique characteristics, its location, granite soils, the Lime Valley’s typical climate and agricultural practices that respect nature, result in singular wines, with a character and ageing potential that reflect different expressions of the Loureiro grape variety.
A cheerful, translucid, lemon-yellow and slightly pétillant white wine, Vinho Verde literally means ‘green wine’ and is named after the northwest Portugese region from which it originates. The ‘green’ in the name refers to the youthful state in which the wines are customarily released and consumed, not the color of the wine.
It is typically a blend of various percentages of Alvarinho, Loureiro, Trajadura, and Pedernã (Arinto). Following initial alcoholic fermentation, a natural, secondary malolactic conversion in cask produces carbon dioxide, giving Vinho Verde its charmingly light sparkle.
Dating back to the late 18th century, Loureiro is native to Iberian Peninsula, grown mostly within the Minho region, though has flourished currently into neighboring Galicia. It produces a dry, high-toned, crisp white wine, redolent with aromas of white flowers and bay leaves. The grape is essential to the production of Portugeuse Vinho Verde and white blends of the Spanish region Rias Baixas. Somm Secret—The word Loureiro means “laurel” in Portugeuse, conveying the wine’s bay leaf aromatics.