Structure

Bodyfull
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishlong
Oaknew oak

Drinking window

Best 3 to 15 years from vintage.
vintage3 yrs15 yrs17 yrs

Critic scores

No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating in the header is our own.

In the glass

Full-bodiedHigh acidityDryLong finish

Aroma: honeyed lemon, yellow peach, vanilla, wet granite

Palate: stone fruit, creamy lees, spiced oak, salted finish

Single-parcel old-vine Alvarinho from Anselmo Mendes, barrel-fermented and aged with batonnage. The estate's cellar wine; built for years in bottle.

What it pairs with

  • Roast turbot with brown butter
    Full-bodied barrel-aged Alvarinho stands up to the rich beurre noisette; mineral spine keeps the dish precise.
  • Lobster thermidor
    Creamy lees and spiced oak partner cream-bound shellfish; high-acid Alvarinho drive cuts the richness.
  • Roast guinea fowl with mushroom
    Yellow stone fruit and barrel weight match gamebird and earth; salted finish picks up the seasoning.
  • Aged hard cheese boards
    Honeyed-lemon register and oak spice partner aged Sao Jorge and well-cured presunto.

History

Parcela Unica is the Anselmo Mendes single-parcel old-vine Alvarinho, drawn from a specific Melgaço site with old plantings. Released in limited bottle counts each vintage as the estate's most ambitious Alvarinho.

  1. 2009: Parcela Unica launched as the single-parcel old-vine flagship Alvarinho

Facts

Producer
Anselmo Mendes Vinhos · visiting guide
Grapes
Alvarinho (100%)
Classification
DOC Vinho Verde - Monção e Melgaço
Oak
Barrel-fermented in new and second-fill French oak; twelve to eighteen months on lees with batonnage
ABV
13.5%
Price
EUR 55 to 85 at retail
Drinking window
3-15 from vintage
First vintage
2009
Vegan
Yes (no animal-derived fining)

Frequently asked about Anselmo Mendes Parcela Unica

What does Parcela Unica taste like?

Honeyed lemon, yellow peach, vanilla and wet granite on the nose; stone fruit, creamy lees, spiced oak and a salted finish on the palate. Full-bodied with high acidity and a long oak-lees close.

When should I drink Parcela Unica?

Drink between 3 and 15 years from vintage. The single-parcel old-vine concentration and barrel ageing reward ten years or more in a cool cellar.

What makes Parcela Unica different?

It comes from a single old-vine Melgaço parcel rather than a multi-vineyard blend, and is barrel-fermented with batonnage for an unusually full-bodied Alvarinho style. The estate's most ambitious bottling.

What food pairs with Parcela Unica?

Roast turbot with brown butter, lobster thermidor, roast guinea fowl with mushroom and aged hard cheese boards. The full body rewards rich, structured dishes.

Tags

alvarinho dry full body high acid iconic medium term mood contemplative mood elegant occasion cellar occasion gift occasion special old vines old world pairs with aged cheese pairs with game pairs with mushroom pairs with shellfish pairs with white fish price premium single vineyard still white vegan

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