Arinto Who?

As many of you know, I am a tireless booster for the wines of Portugal which offers some of the best values  in the world, and even their high end wines are a fabulous bargain compared to what you will pay for similar quality wines from California, France and Italy.  What I especially like is that not only do they offer great values, they also present opportunities to sample varietals that you will not encounter elsewhere as they are indigenous grapes that are not found or cultivated outside of Portugal.

One of these varietals is a white grape that I believe will appeal to all you Sauvignon Blanc aficionados out there, and it's called "Arinto".  It can be found in either single varietal issues or blends with other native grapes.  Most recently, I sampled a 100% Arinto (2012) from the Quinta da Romeira estate, produced in the Bucelas (DOC) region.  This is an absolutely delightful wine, bursting with citrus aromas (orange and lime), backed up with tropical and mineral undertones. It has a fresh, crisp acidity along with a powerful intensity that lingers well on the mouth. Though somewhat similar in profile to Sauvignon Blanc, it does not carry any of the grassy or boxwood ("cat pee", in the vernacular) notes. At 12.5% alcohol, it's beautiful summertime refresher that will not knock you down.  It's a natural complement to fish, seafood and grilled vegetables.

This particular bottle from the Lisbon Wine shop in Newark retails for about $9 (an exceptional bargain), but you should be able to find Quinta da Romeira wines or other estate wines featuring Arinto or Arinto blends in the tri-state area. Do yourself a favor and don't pass up on this wine if you come across it. You may find yourself another favorite, like I did. Saude!