2019 Azores Wine Company Branco Vulcanico

"The 2019 Branco Vulcânico is mostly Arinto dos Açores, with 15% Verdelho. It is unoaked and comes in at 11.6% alcohol. Bright and a little mouth puckering, this is another nice performance"and for a bit less money. It is just beautiful, and it holds its own pretty well with the regular Arinto, which seems fairly similar in style. Elegant, fresh and lively, it dances across the tongue with a light touch in terms of weight, but it enlivens the palate with its acidity. There's a hint of spice on the finish. It's probably the least concentrated of the whites this issue, but its lively demeanor makes it enticing. This blend is a relatively good value point in the lineup." - Mark Squires Review Date: January 2021