ALLO Loureiro Alvarinho

Quinta de Soalheiro is a leading wine estate nestled in Portugal’s verdant north, whose story and output is inseparable from the climb to international renown of the Alvarinho variety and the wines from Vinho Verde’s Monção e Melgaço subregion. Soalheiro was founded in 1974 when João António Cerdeira and his parents, António Esteves Ferreira and Maria Cerdeira took the bold decision to plant a single, sun-soaked parcel of farmland entirely to Alvarinho. At the time, this decision was in stark contrast to the traditional practice of Portuguese farmers, which relegated grape vines to grow up pergolas planted at the periphery of dense cereal crops like maize. It was in this spirit of innovation and progress that one of western Iberia’s great wine producers was born. Today, third-generation siblings Maria João and António Luís, along with their mother Maria Palmira Cerdeira, continue to test limits and break new ground in pursuit of the finest expressions of their territory by way of the noble Alvarinho grape. ALLO may sound like a greeting, or perhaps it refers to the famous BBC television sitcom “Allo, Allo!” that always brought a laugh. More seriously, the name is a merge of Alvarinho and Loureiro’s initials, two noble grape varieties of the Minho region in northern Portugal. Loureiro provides floral notes while Alvarinho is responsible for the wine’s structure. By combining the delicate nature of Loureiro with the confidence of Alvarinho, ALLO is a wine that embodies both the fun and serious sides of this territory.

Both planted in granite soils, the Alvarinho and Loureiro grapes come from terroirs ideal for their cultivation. The vineyards of Loureiro have Atlantic influence, where the temperature range is relatively low, preserving the varietal’s flowery character. In contrast, the Alvarinho grapes come from the inland region, protected by the mountains of Monção and Melgaço, resulting in the dominance of tropical fruit aromas.

The grapes are harvested by hand. After pressing and before fermentation, the must is clarified at a low temperature. The Loureiro and Alvarinho ferment separately in stainless steel, maturing on the lees before blending and bottling.

ALLO has a yellow and silvery-bright color. In this blend, Alvarinho, full of tropical fruit and structure, contrasts with Loureiro, floral and delicate, resulting in a lively yet elegant white wine. The moderately low alcohol content contributes to the wine’s balance.