Phulia 'Mal Acabado' Pét-Nat Loureiro White 2023

'Mal Acabado' means 'poorly finished', & Rita, the winemaker, was inspired by stories from the 18th century, when the very first Vinho Verdes were shipped from Lima to England. The demand for the wines was so great from England that the Portuguese were forced to send their wines unfinished!

And not only is this wine made in the ancestral method (Pét-Nat) but it is also made from Loureiro grapes grown from ramadas (trellises), which is the traditional way of growing grapes in the region, & is still a very familiar sight in the vineyards of the Vinho Verde.

This Pét-Nat is a little different to most in the fact that it is not cloudy and has a cork instead of a bottle cap. The clearness comes from the fact that they only use the first juice of the grapes, and then only take the resulting must from the top of steel tank, to ensure a clear product. And then the cork is to ensure the Mal Acabado stands out from other Pét-Nats - because what else would we expect from Phulia!

For a little taste of history, from one of newest, exciting winemakers in the region, you can't go wrong!