Waitrose, Loved & Found Cerceal, Dão, Portugal 2023

A new wine to the Waitrose Loved & Found range, this Portuguese white, made from the Cerceal grape, is worth exploring for its alluring ripe pineapple and waxy lemon aromas, combining with yuzu and passionfruit. It's ripe and fruity, with some hints of almond paste. 100% Cerceal Branco from 33-year-old vines planted in granitic clay soils at an altitude of 150 metres. The vineyard is in the south of the Dão region, on the slopes of the Bussaco mountain range with good exposure to the sun. The proximity of the Aguieira Dam influences the higher humidity in the evenings and early mornings, promoting greater acidity in the musts. The grapes were hand harvested and whole bunch pressed in a pneumatic press with nitrogen to protect against oxidation. The clean must was fermented in stainless steel tanks with temperature control at 17ºC for 24 days. The wine was then aged in stainless steel tanks for six months with bâtonnage once a week to add structure and complexity. Winemaker Nuno Cancela de Abreu.