We are over the moon to introduce the very first Portuguese producers into our import portfolio, Ciclo Vinho and Quinta do Regainho.
Hugo and Joana Campos of Ciclo Vinho have just 1.5 hectares of vines in the Estremoz region of Alentejo comprising no less than 10 different indigenous Portuguese grape varieties. With these they work with minimal intervention and by hand to craft fragrant, pure and vivacious natural wines in tiny quantities - just 600-2,000 bottles of each cuvée is made.
After meeting and tasting with Hugo in Portugal in 2023, we are thrilled to have received just our second delivery of these highly sought-after wines.
- Ciclo Branco (£25): A field blend of 6 varieties growing in limestone including Alvarinho, Arinto, Roupeiro, Rabo de Ovelha, Perum, Encruzado. Fresh and high-toned with citric acidity, exotic fruit notes and a creamy, long palate.
- Ciclo Tinto (£25): The Ciclo Tinto is made from 100% Aragonés, hand-picked and fermented in a traditional Portuguese open lagar. A lovely ruby red in colour with very light body and crunchy, spicy berry and cherry fruit on the linear, direct palate.
- Ciclo Curtimenta (£26): This Curtimenta (orange/skin contact) is 100% Moscatel crushed in whole-bunches and fermented with native yeasts on skins for a week in a traditional Portuguese lagar. A golden orange in colour with perfumed aromas of white flowers, honey and spice. Medium bodied on the palate with crisp acidity, light tannins and a creamy texture.
- Ciclo Rosado (£26): The Ciclo Rosado is a blend of Fernão Pires and Touriga Nacional growing in limestone soils at 350m above sea level. Deep pink in colour and light bodied with enchanting aromas of wild berries, fresh picked herbs and a savoury quality on the dry finish.
- Ciclo Tri Ciclo (£26): Tri Ciclo is a blend of Aragonez, Castelão and Trincadeira, handpicked, de-stemmed, and fermented and aged in old French oak. A vibrant and savoury wine a lovely mix of red and black fruits, floral hints and gentle spice on the high-toned palate.
- Ciclo Mono Ciclo (£26): A brand new one for us this year, Mono Ciclo is 100% Trincadeira, a grape that thrives in the warm Alentejo growing conditions. Gorgeous raspberry and blackcurrant leaf aromas with a herbaceous undertone and plenty of savoury character on the finish.
- Ciclo Pét Nat Branco (£27): The Ciclo pét nat is 100% Arinto, hand-picked and vinified in the ancestral method without added yeast, sugar or sulphur. A taut and vigorous pét nat with persistent bubbles carrying aromas of lemons, limes, green apples and honey.