Anselmo Mendes – King of Alvarinho

Recognized nationally and internationally by the specialized press, by the criticism of wine and several entities in the sector, it holds numerous titles of recognition of his work, as well as medals that reinforce and disseminate the quality of wines produces or makes for other producers. A remarkable winemaker who has worked hard for Portuguese wines.

When did you really realize you wanted to be an winemake
r? My interest in wine comes from a young age. I was a 'farmer' who was very young and liked everything that was agricultural crops, including the vineyard. I realized i wanted and could be a winemaker in the 3rd year of Agronomy, because I began to like general microbiology, fermentation microbiology, biochemistry, viticulture, technology, oenology, this type of subject. Agronomy has always been very strong in the disciplines and teaching of subjects related to the ological technology and today I am grateful to this faculty for the tools it put at the disposal of students to be engineers / winemakers in real life.

Works and is a consultant in national regions. Which one for you is the most cha
llenging? The most challenging region is Portugal for its diversity of grape varieties and soils that allow an winemaker to make original wines anywhere in the world. However, the green wine region is one where I think it is possible to innovate and recreate new wines.

If i didn't work in Portugal, in which country would you like to be an
winemaker? In France, where there is a great history of wine and a great scientific knowledge and mastery of the factors that determine the 'Terroir'.

He is also a 'master' of some winemakers who are currently giving letters. What should young winemakers do to achieve a good professional level, to go further? What advice do you gi
ve them? My young winemakers always tell them that knowledge has no limits and that there is only 'art' after much knowledge. Today you have to tell a good story, but this must have substance. Portuguese oenology has to produce more scientific matters but companies in the sector also have to invest in these areas together with universities.

In addition to the consultancies it gives, it is one of the most recognized producers in the green wine region. What wine would you like to make? I'm star
ting to make whites from the Alvarinho caste capable of going to play with loire and burgundy whites. It is the example of my wines Parcela Único, Curtimenta, Expressions, Muros de Melgaço.Quero with Loureiro and Osso in their terroirs of excellence make more serious wines, because in the Valley of Lima and Baião it is possible to make world-class whites. 

Tell me a story, a professional episode that has marked it... On a
visit to a vineyard in southern Brazil that was more than 20 years old almost abandoned, I found half an hectare of the Alvarinho grape variety, but was marked with another name, Gouveio. We recovered this vineyard and made the first wine of the Alvarinho grape variety in Brazil.

He has won numerous awards with wines he produces for you and other producers, in addition to the recognition to your own person. In fact, it was decorated by the President of the Republic... in the background, the recognition for what it has done for Portuguese wines...  
I feel recognized for what I have done for Portuguese wines but I think I have to do more for my country because it gave me the possibility to make wines with different expressions. And it is with this name 'Expressions' that I want to make wines that express the land where they are born. I started with my land with a wine Expressions Monção and Melgaço, 100% Alvarinho, but where I do not refer to caste, considering that this is an important tool, but by itself does not make the expression of a territory.