Anselmo Mendes Curtimenta Alvarinho

Vinho Verde, Portugal

Skin-contact Alvarinho from Monção — a radical departure from the bright, fresh Vinho Verde style. Extended maceration produces a textural, amber-tinged wine of unusual complexity: dried apricot, orange peel, beeswax, granite, and a lingering saline mineral finish. One of Portugal's most intriguing natural wine expressions.

Pairing intelligence

• main: Skin-contact Alvarinho's textural complexity and dried fruit character handles the sausage's smoky fat; cornbread provides starchy balance; the wine's mineral freshness cuts through
• main: Aged skin-contact white and salt cod — the wine's dried fruit and mineral character mirrors the cod's preserved depth; olive oil bridges the wine's texture; garlic echoes the aromatic complexity