Terrunho d'Alma is an individual project by winemaker José Domingues, who is dedicated to exploring different expressions of vineyards in the Vinhos Verdes region, following the concept of "Garage Wines". From an early age, José had a strong connection with the land, playing among the family's vineyards in Monção and Melgaço during his childhood. Wine and vineyards have always been part of his life and that of his family, and agriculture was practically the only prospect for the future.
With this experience, José developed a curiosity in trying to understand the reasons why wine things were going well or less well. He felt in him the need to understand why. Driven by this desire to discover the reason for things, he went to study Agro-food Engineering in Santarém, the area where he had his first professional experiences. Later, he worked with Anselmo Mendes during the revolution he promoted in the Vinhos Verdes region, which profoundly influenced José Domingues. However, he was part of the Provam team, worked at Soalheiro and other projects in Minho and Galicia.
In 2017, challenged by friends and colleagues to create something of his own that reflected his passion, José decided to start the Terrunho d'Alma project. The term "terrunho" has the meaning of "small plot of land", in clear proximity to the concept of "terroir". In this project, José finds freedom of expression and takes risks, in an attempt to capture in the bottle what he sees and feels in nature.
He believes that it is in the vineyard that wine is made, but he does not look at the vines as mere producers of grapes. For him, vines are elements of a whole, of an "ecosystem that requires all respect and care".
José has a very unique vision for his wines. He does not seek to release very young wines onto the market, but rather waits until they reach a point of maturity where the grape varieties express terroir, rather than fermentative aromas or characteristics of the winemaking process.
Terrunho d'Alma wines originate from two distinct "terrunhos": in the Mouro river valley, in Melgaço, and in the Lima valley, not very far from each other, but with very different characteristics. In Monção and Melgaço, in the Vinhos Verdes sub-region, José produces Alvarinho wines, both in still and sparkling versions, as well as a red from century-old vineyards that are in the family, with varieties already cultivated by his grandparents, the same ones with which José joked.
Terrunho D'Alma Red is a blend wine, a mixture of grape varieties, preferably made in the vineyard or right at the entrance to the cellar. In this case, the grape varieties used are mostly Cainho, Vinhão, Borraçal and Brancelho. It is a red that is different from the stereotypical “green red” wine that is rustic and full of color. On the contrary, its color has a more open color due to less extraction, while exhibiting marked freshness and lightness, making it versatile and suitable to accompany different proposals. gastronomic.
Terrunho D'Alma "Notas Soltas" Loureiro 2021 is made from a 70-year-old branch vineyard, from old, low-productive clones that result in low alcohol content. The vineyard is located on a slope with varied soils, with emphasis on the schist component. This Loureiro wine has a distinct aromatic expression, less exuberant, with more evident floral and citrus notes, in addition to being less full-bodied.
With the Terrunho d'Alma project, José Domingues seeks to create a happy memory, valued by wines with personality, created with personal inspiration.
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