Soalheiro Granit Alvarinho 2022

"The 2022 Alvarinho "Granit" is an unoaked Alvarinho. It is dry and comes in at 12.9% alcohol. Unfortunately, due to shipping problems, I was not able to taste all of the winery's submissions for this report together, but they were still tasted within a couple of weeks of each other. This seems like the best of the group. Opening well on the fruit-forward side, this was pretty delicious on first pour, but it also shows some structure to go with that nice fruit. It is not the nerviest Granit ever, but it is beautifully done, fresh and focused, with the structure nicely supporting that fruit. I wasn't sure if it had enough energy, but it blossomed when retasted the next day. I loved the juicy finish and its "dance across the tongue" demeanor. This may not be one of those old-school Soalheiros that seems to last forever, but it should still age reasonably, perhaps better than indicated. At the beginning of the drinking window, it drinks great now, but it can still improve a little." —Wine Advocate