Quinta da Boavista- Terras de Tavares Reserva 2003

The vineyards are not certified organic, but we are farmed under organic and sustainable practices, such as use of copper and sulfur. Flowers and herbs such as chamomile act as fungus repellent. The winery is covered in photovoltaic cells; making us a net exporter of electricity and our wines carbon neutral.

Soil Type(s): Beyond the old granitic soils, this vineyard has also plots with even older origin due to marine sediments, from 500 million years ago, which originated shale clayey rocks soils.

Spontaneously co-fermented with extended skin contact and no temperature control. Not fined or filtered. Expect sediment. Aged 18 months in old French barriques, bottle aged in cellar ever since.

João will tell you all he needs to make wine is grapes, water to clean his equipment and a touch of sulfur at bottling. He rarely uses products in the vineyard, and when he does he only uses topical organic treatments. In today’s world, this is about as minimal as it gets. João isn’t following a natural wine trend. This is how he and his father have always done it. His wine is proof that a deliciously powerful wine can be naturally made, and this 2003 is a perfect example of the kind of wine João makes.

Lamb, Veal, Venison, Truffles, Mushroom Ragu, Bolognese Pasta, Boudin Noir, Liver

• French, Portuguese, Northern Italian, Central Italian, Russian, German, Moroccan, Turkish, Caucasian, Lebanese