Finca Teira 2016

There is a white and a red produced from the Finca Teira, and I tasted the white 2016 Finca Teira. It is a Treixadura-based blend with 20% Godello and 5% Torrontés plus a 2% touch of Loureira from decomposed granite soils (sábrego), from their two-hectare Finca Teira property. To Formigo, this represents the character of Ribeiro, because of the grape blend and the soils. As with the rest of whites, the hand-harvested clusters are slightly crushed and pressed in a pneumatic press, let to settle for 48 hours and the juice put to ferment with neutral yeasts in stainless steel, then racked according to the cycles of the moon and bottled without any work of the lees. There is a big jump in complexity and depth from the Formigo, and it has a subtle and captivating nose with some herbal aromas and hints of river stones. The palate is intense and sharp but with good volume and a mineral, austere sensation in the finish. 17,500 bottles produced. For comparison's sake I also tasted a bottle of 2011 that had a golden color and a developed nose with some aromas of honey and beeswax intermixed with notes of fern leaves and moss, while the palate keeps the mineral sharpness.

Some slightly lifted aromas with lemon and pear blossom. The palate has a smooth, composed and even feel. Neat grapefruit and white peach finish. Drink now.