Vineyards and winemaking
Fernão Pires is grown on the clay-limestone slopes of Quinta da Boa Esperança at Zibreira, north of Lisbon. The estate benefits from Atlantic air and the shelter of the Montejunto range, conditions that help this naturally aromatic Portuguese variety retain balance and definition.
The 2018 grapes were harvested by hand, sorted and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats. Four months of bottle ageing followed, preserving the wine’s direct fruit and floral expression rather than introducing oak-derived flavour.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Golden lemon, with the deeper tone expected from bottle maturation.
Nose
Dried orange blossom, pineapple and quince are joined by chamomile, lemon peel and a faint honeyed note.
Palate
Softly textured and aromatic, with yellow fruit, citrus peel and a gentle floral character. Bottle age has rounded the wine’s youthful freshness and introduced a savoury, waxy nuance to the finish. Mature bottles may vary; serve cool and open carefully.
Food pairing
Try with chicken and apricot tagine, smoked trout pâté, roast squash with sage or a mild Thai green curry. Its developed aromatic character also complements crumbly Lancashire cheese.
Background story
Quinta da Boa Esperança was established in its modern form by Artur and Eva Gama in 2014 at an old family estate in Zibreira. The property’s diverse slopes and maritime setting support both native Portuguese varieties and selected international grapes.
Fernão Pires is one of Portugal’s most widely planted white grapes, known for its exuberant floral and tropical perfume. This varietal bottling gives it a clear voice, offering an instructive contrast to the estate’s sharper, more mineral Arinto.
