About this wine
Curtimenta — Portuguese for 'skin contact' — is Anselmo Mendes' orange-wine-style Alvarinho, sitting between a classic white and a true orange wine. Made from vines over 14 years old in Monção e Melgaço, the must macerates on skins for the first 24-48 hours of fermentation before the skins are removed; the wine then finishes fermentation and ages roughly nine months in used 400-litre French oak barrels with bâtonnage, plus about 12 months in bottle. The result is more phenolic and tannic than his other bottlings, with dried apricot, honey, toasted hazelnut and a dry, chalky finish.
A high-quality, approachable entry point into orange wine — more textured and tannic than typical Alvarinho, but still balanced and precise.
Sommelier's Note
"Proof that Alvarinho can hold its own as an orange wine — 24-48 hours of skin contact and used oak give it tannin and depth without sacrificing the grape's signature precision."
Food Pairings
Pairs exceptionally well with grilled octopus, roasted poultry, aged cheeses and umami-rich dishes such as miso-glazed black cod.
When to drink it
Sophisticated dinner parties, slow weekend meals, gifts for wine enthusiasts who appreciate unique craftsmanship.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Alvarinho
- Style
- White
- Alcohol
- 13%
- Price Range
- ¥6,000-8,500
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Alvarinho from vines over 14 years old in Monção e Melgaço. Skin maceration for the first 24-48 hours of fermentation, then finished and aged approximately 9 months in used 400L French oak barrels with bâtonnage on fine lees, followed by roughly 12 months bottle aging before release.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Curtimenta Alvarinho taste like?
- Dried stone fruit, citrus peel and toasted nuts with a firm, tannic structure and a dry, chalky finish.
- How is it different from a normal Alvarinho?
- It undergoes 24-48 hours of skin contact and ageing in used French oak, giving it more phenolic character and tannin than an unoaked Alvarinho.
- What food pairs well with it?
- Umami-rich dishes, grilled seafood such as octopus, and roasted meats.
Want to know more about this wine?
Ask Vinami's sommelier — no intimidation, just answers.
Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
アンセルモ・メンデス パルセラ・ウニカ・アルヴァリーニョ
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ムロス・アンティゴス アルバリーニョ
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ムロス・デ・メルガッソ
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コンタクト アルバリーニョ
Contacto Alvarinho
WhiteAlvarinho
Contacto takes its name from the brief skin contact Anselmo Mendes applies during vinification — enough to build aromatic depth and a touch of texture without affecting the wine's pale colour. Sourced from deep, pebbly, granitic soils in Monção e Melgaço, it is aged around three months on lees with periodic bâtonnage, yielding ripe peach and pear fruit, floral lift, firm acidity and a distinct saline finish.
パッサロス アルバリーニョ・トラジャドゥラ エスコーリャ
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WhiteAlvarinho · Trajadura
Pássaros Alvarinho-Trajadura Escolha blends fruit from the Minho and Lima river valleys, pairing Alvarinho's aromatic intensity and structure with the softer, rounder character of Trajadura. Fermented in stainless steel at controlled temperature to preserve fruit purity, it is a crisp, fruit-forward Vinho Verde with green fruit, citrus and floral notes — an approachable expression that shows Anselmo Mendes' range beyond pure Alvarinho.