The Loureiro is the only wine made from the only vineyard farmed by 'Paraiso Natural', a micro-project between New York based Liz Mckiver & Richard Barnett, and their Portuguese winemaker friends Miguel & Leli Viseu. The natural paradise is situated high in the mountains of Ponte de Lima and in the small village of Paraiso. The Loureiro grapes come from a 2013 planted single vineyard of 4.5 ha at 300 meters altitude (one of the only vineyards in the area planted at such an high altitude). The grapes grow only 20km off the coast and therefore are constantly touched by the ocean's breeze. This helps Miguel and Leli to work the vineyards organically. Loureiro flourishes here in it's hometown where it is indigenous (the Minho region, Northern Portugal).
The property totals roughly 4.5 hectares, with just one hectare currently planted. The vines were planted in 2013. The goal from the beginning has been "to love and preserve the land, the soil, the vines, to allow the grapes to express themselves naturally; and to grow and bottle a beautiful wine, with no intervention in the vineyard, no additives in the bottle."
Winemaking:
The Loureiro grapes are pressed directly to stainless steel tanks in which it ferments. After fermentation, the wine ages in several vessels: 25% in clay tinajas, 25% in old oak barrels and 50% in stainless steel. The wine is made with zero oenological intervention: no fining, no filtration and no addition of SO2 (not even at bottling).
This is what vinho verde tastes like if we let nature decide. Unlike anything else.
Loureiro - Paraiso Natural - 2021
Winemaker
Paraiso Natural
Country
Portugal
Region
Minho
Grapes
Loureiro
Alcohol
12%
Volume
750ml