Vinhos Eruptio Field Blend Branco | 2021

António Maçanita paved the path for the Azores wine industry when he purchased 100 hectares of vines on the island of Pico more than a decade ago. Now, we’re beginning to see more of these unique, deliciously mineral thick wines, like this Eruptio Branco. Technically a cooperative, Eruptio is a community of micro-growers, led by the talented winemaker, Bernardo Cabral. The vines grow within 100 meters of the coast, in an impressive grid-like formation, formed by low-lying, pitch-black basalt walls called “currais,” which protect the grapes from the brutal winds. It’s an extreme terroir, where the ocean and the vines battle against each other, and temperatures rarely break 70F. As a result, you can taste the high-wire tension in the wines, especially in the whites. A blend of Arinto dos Açores, Verdelho, and the rare, Terrantez do Pico, these grapes are fermented separately then aged in steel on the fine lees for several months. In the glass, a green-gold hue captivates the senses with candied citrus, saffron, honeydew, jasmine and lemongrass. On the palate, the wine has remarkable texture—creamy, salty, and sweet—followed by bright lines of acidity that strike like lightning. Eruptio is, on all levels, explosive and a must-drink for those who appreciate the otherworldly thrills of minerality. ~Allegra A