# Gorro Loureiro (2023)

- **Producer:** Portugal Boutique Winery
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Loureiro
- **Region:** Vinho Verde, Portugal
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €12
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blossom, orange, lemon, lime, peach, herbaceous, cream, honey, petrol

## About this wine

Gorro is a project by Portugal Boutique Winery, founded by Nuno Aguiar de Morais Vaz and António Olazabal Ferreira. The winery's mission is to preserve and revive forgotten, old-vine parcels across Portugal's historic regions. The name 'Gorro' translates to 'beanie' or 'knit cap' in Portuguese, and the label features a detailed illustration of an elderly farmer wearing one. This serves as a heartfelt tribute to the generations of local, elderly farmers who continue to meticulously hand-tend the tiny, old-vine plots of Vinho Verde. The 'Lousa' association stems from the rare schist-clay (slate) soils found in one of the primary hillside vineyards in the Lima Valley, which imparts a distinct mineral character to the wine.

## Interesting facts

- The name 'Gorro' means beanie, paying tribute to the elderly local farmers who hand-tend the old vines.
- Sourced from 40-year-old vines planted on rare schist-clay (lousa) soils and stony alluvial riverbanks.
- The wine clarifies naturally through a two-day cold settling process at 10°C, avoiding animal fining agents.

## Food pairing

The high, piercing acidity of this Loureiro acts as a brilliant palate cleanser, cutting effortlessly through the richness of fatty dishes like pork belly while beautifully complementing the briny freshness of seafood and shellfish. Its bone-dry profile and mineral drive harmonize with light, herb-infused dishes and tangy goat cheeses.

## Wine making process

The grapes are hand-harvested in small 20 kg boxes from 40-year-old vines in the Lima Valley. Upon arrival at the winery, the fruit undergoes total destemming and gentle crushing, followed by pneumatic pressing. The must is then subjected to two days of cold decantation (settling) at 10°C to clarify naturally without animal-based fining agents. Slow, temperature-controlled fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats at 16°C using selected yeasts to preserve the pristine primary fruit. The wine is aged entirely in stainless steel on its fine lees for 5 months to build texture and complexity without any oak influence.