'Solo' Loureiro (natural) 2017

Solo (meaning a tribute to soil, in this case QDA's yellow granite) is an un-sulphured and pretty much untouched wine. Pedro selects a particular part of the vineyard, whacks it in a vat, yeasts do their thing including a partial malo that adds textural development, and then it's parked in bottle. The only real touch is a light filtration with the protection of an inert gas blanket to avoid oxidisation. Only 2,500 bottles produced.

Intense, wild, raw, deeply textural, pure and unadulterated. Solo is darting and nuanced, herbal with lemon (pith-and-rind) and bay tells. The palate twists and twines with essence of bay and a trace of powdery tannin; there's lilt within the intensity, and a nice saline brace to finish. The wine's body is outstanding: power and creamy-softness with mineral line and great freshness.