In the glass
Aroma: dried apricot, orange peel, wax, wild fennel
Palate: citrus pith, stone-fruit skin, grippy phenolics, saline finish
Skin-contact Alvarinho from Monção: dried apricot, orange peel and wax aromatics with grippy phenolics. Bottled as IGT Minho to clear the DOC stainless-steel-only rules.
What it pairs with
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Polvo a feira
The wine's grippy phenolics and saline drive partner pimenton-dusted octopus and stand up to olive-oil richness. -
Aged Manchego or Sao Jorge
Orange-peel and waxy aromatics pair the cheese's umami salt and nuttiness; phenolic grip echoes the rind. -
Lamb tagine with apricots
Dried-apricot register meets North African spice and stewed fruit; the phenolic structure handles the dish's depth. -
Spiced pumpkin curry
Skin-contact texture and wild-fennel aromatics partner vegetable-forward curries and stand up to chilli heat.
History
Curtimenta is Anselmo Mendes' skin-contact Alvarinho, vinified with extended grape-skin maceration to produce an orange-wine style. Because the DOC Vinho Verde rules require stainless-steel-only protected fermentation, Curtimenta is bottled as IGT Minho.
- 2010 — Curtimenta launched as the Anselmo Mendes skin-contact Alvarinho, declassified to IGT Minho
Facts
- Producer
- Anselmo Mendes Vinhos
- Grapes
- Alvarinho (100%)
- Classification
- IGT Minho
- Oak
- Skin contact during fermentation; further ageing in stainless steel with extended lees
- ABV
- 12.5%
- Price
- EUR 22 to 32 at retail
- Drinking window
- 1-7 from vintage
- First vintage
- 2010
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Frequently asked about Anselmo Mendes Curtimenta
What does Anselmo Mendes Curtimenta taste like?
Dried apricot, orange peel, wax and wild fennel on the nose; citrus pith, stone-fruit skin, grippy phenolics and a saline finish on the palate. Medium-bodied with low tannin, high acidity and a long phenolic close.
Why is Curtimenta bottled as IGT Minho rather than DOC Vinho Verde?
The DOC Vinho Verde production rules require stainless-steel-only protected fermentation for whites. Curtimenta's extended skin-contact maceration falls outside the DOC and is bottled as IGT Minho, a regional appellation that allows the orange-wine style.
When should I drink Curtimenta?
Drink within 1 to 7 years of vintage. The phenolic structure gives it more medium-term cellar tolerance than the standard Alvarinho but the wine is most expressive in its first five years.
What food pairs with Curtimenta?
Polvo a feira, aged Manchego or Sao Jorge cheese, lamb tagine with apricots and spiced pumpkin curry. The skin-contact phenolics handle umami, spice and vegetable-forward dishes.