Pardusco Vinho Verde Red 2023 Anselmo Mendes
Red 14% ABV ABV Anselmo MendesNice but a bit steep
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.
Really surprised by this one
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.
Great dinner party find
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.
Solid and interesting
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.
My new favourite Portuguese red
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.