Winery Location: Portugal
Varietals: Fernão Pires (70%)
Branco Arinto (30%)
Three days left on the Advent Calendar. Today’s featured wine is El Campeón from Portugal. Portugal has one of the highest numbers of indigenous wine grapes in the world with at least 250 local varietals recorded. El Campeón is a wine blend of two varietals native to Portugal – Fernão Pires and Branco Arinto. Also known as Maria Gomes, the Fernão Pires grape provides an exotic, fruity character with hints of spice, and the Branco Arinto has great acidity for structure.
The result is an aromatic white wine with a bouquet of lemon, peach and white flowers. El Campeón is also a champion on the palate, smooth yet refreshing, with intense flavors of peach, lemon chiffon and grapefruit complemented by a solid acidity, and even a hint of savory herbs. Costco recommends pairing this with herbal dishes like tarragon chicken salad, which is sound advice. But like many wines it’s also great to just sit back and enjoy solo, El Campeón doesn’t need an entourage. All in all, it’s a knockout for taste.
Ed's Wineglass Adventures 