White 'Belfo' Arribas Wine Company 2023
Arribas Wine Company's 'Belfo' is a charming, fresh, savoury white wine that expresses the new and vibrant Portuguese wine industry. It comes from a single plot in Peredo de Bemposta, an area characterised by granite soil and high altitude. Its name, which means 'to speak with your mouth full', refers to the texture of the wine and the spontaneity of spirit with which it is produced. Savoury and full-bodied, the short maceration imparts intensity but little tannin. The nose is surprising with hints of iodine and yellow fruit. Ideal with intense fish dishes
Arribas Wine Company's 'Belfo' is a full-bodied, smooth white wine with a beautiful impact. This label was born with the 2020 vintage and was named 'Belfo' in reference to a person who used to speak with his mouth full, as full is the expression of this white wine, representing the indissoluble link between wine, soil, climate and vineyard. In addition, the 'Belfo' project supports associations related to local culture, with the aim of preserving tradition and cultural heritage.
Arribas Wine Company 'Belfo' comes from a composite blend of white grape varieties, including Verdelho, Malvasia, Posto Branco and Bastardo Branco. These grapes come from a single vineyard between 70 and 90 years old, planted on a rocky slope formed by decomposed granite soils with quartz and limestone. The vineyard is located in Peredo de Bemposta, in the historical region of Trás-os-Montes, at an altitude of 650-700 metres above sea level. The bunches, hand-picked in boxes, are pressed whole with the feet and then undergo a short pre-fermentation maceration of 6-8 hours. Alcoholic fermentation takes place spontaneously in 15-20% new French oak barrels, followed by complete malolactic fermentation and 10 months' maturation on fine lees.
To the eye, the 'Belfo' signed Arribas Wine Company shows an intense straw yellow colour with orange reflections. Decisive hints of ripe yellow fruit and Mediterranean maquis describe the olfactory texture together with hints of iodine and subtle hints of butter. The taste is intense, soft and with good warmth, defined by a full, almost textural body, well supported by pleasant freshness and an impressive sapid-mineral trail.