In the glass
Aroma: lime, white peach, honeysuckle, wet granite
Palate: citrus, stone fruit, mineral spine, saline finish
The Anselmo Mendes everyday Alvarinho and modern Monção e Melgaço reference: citrus, white peach and honeysuckle over a wet-granite mineral spine.
What it pairs with
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Polvo a lagareiro
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The wine's saline citrus drive and granite minerality lift the olive-oil-roasted octopus without flattening the smoky char. -
Atlantic seafood platter
Honeysuckle and stone-fruit aromatics partner the natural sweetness of fresh crab and prawn; high acidity balances the iodine. -
Caldeirada
Portuguese fish stew with tomato and onion needs a high-acid mineral white; Muros Antigos cuts the broth and refreshes the palate. -
Pastel de bacalhau
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Salt-cod fritters meet a coastal Alvarinho built for fried seafood; the lime register lifts the batter.
History
Anselmo Mendes founded his eponymous estate in Monção in 1998 after a career as a roving consultant, building Muros Antigos as the modern Alvarinho reference for the sub-region. The Muros Antigos name (Old Walls) refers to the granite terraces of the Minho valley.
- 1998 — Anselmo Mendes launches own label with the Muros Antigos Alvarinho
Facts
- Producer
- Anselmo Mendes Vinhos
- Grapes
- Alvarinho (100%)
- Classification
- DOC Vinho Verde - Monção e Melgaço
- Oak
- Stainless steel; four to six months on fine lees
- ABV
- 12.5%
- Price
- EUR 14 to 20 at retail
- Drinking window
- 1-6 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1998
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Frequently asked about Anselmo Mendes Muros Antigos Alvarinho
What does Muros Antigos Alvarinho taste like?
Lime, white peach, honeysuckle and wet granite on the nose; citrus, stone fruit, mineral spine and a saline finish on the palate. Medium-bodied with high acidity and a long mineral close.
When should I drink Muros Antigos Alvarinho?
Drink within 1 to 6 years of vintage. The wine rewards two to three years in bottle as the citrus deepens into honeyed stone fruit.
What classification does Muros Antigos Alvarinho have?
DOC Vinho Verde from the Monção e Melgaço sub-region, the only sub-region permitted to bottle as single-variety Alvarinho under the DOC rules.
What food pairs with Muros Antigos Alvarinho?
Polvo a lagareiro, Atlantic seafood platters, caldeirada and salt-cod fritters. The mineral-citrus drive is a textbook Vinho Verde-Portuguese-seafood match.