Pardusco Vinho Verde Red 2023 Anselmo Mendes

Penelope Hart - Nice but a bit steep

6/10

The wine shop guy recommended this when I said I wanted something Portuguese and different. It's good, don't get me wrong — there's a nice freshness to it and the fruit is layered and interesting. But £17.50 feels a bit pricey for what it is. I've had Portuguese reds at £10 that I enjoyed just as much.

Priscilla Nunes - Really surprised by this one

8/10

Picked this up because I'd never had a red Vinho Verde before — didn't even know that was a thing. It's got proper weight to it, not some light little sipper. The acidity keeps it fresh though, went brilliantly with a lamb stew we had on Sunday. At £17.50 I'd definitely buy it again.

Herbert Muller - Great dinner party find

7/10

Bought a couple of bottles for a dinner party and everyone was asking about it. It's punchy at 14% but you don't really notice because the acidity balances everything out. Really clean finish too, the kind of wine where you just keep going back for another sip.

Noah Williams - Solid and interesting

7/10

I'm still learning about wine so take this with a pinch of salt, but I thought this was really nice. It smells great straight away and tastes more full-bodied than I expected from a Vinho Verde. The finish hangs around in a good way. Would be interested to try other stuff from this producer.

Idris Ibrahim - My new favourite Portuguese red

8/10

Saw this on a wine list on holiday in Porto last year and finally tracked it down over here. Anselmo Mendes clearly knows what he's doing. There's a real grippy structure to it with loads of fruit, but it stays fresh and doesn't feel heavy. Had it with a pizza night and it was spot on.