2023 Espumante Bruto, Quinta da Romeyra

• Style: Brut Espumante, traditional method
• Taste: Apple, stone fruit, brioche with mineral spine and fine bubbles
• Food: Oysters, crab, grilled fish, shellfish platters, light salads
• Occasion: Aperitif, Sunday lunch, date night, celebration
• Serve: Well chilled, natural cork, 12% ABV

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Pale and fine-bubbled, this Arinto-based sparkler arrives with the mineral snap of coastal clay-limestone that defines Bucelas itself. Fresh apple and white stone fruit layer into brioche and nutty depth, supported by a mineral spine that carries flavour through to a clean, harmonious close. At 12% ABV with just 3g/L residual sugar, it's bone-dry and refreshing, with bubbles that promise proper time on lees rather than rushed cellaring.

The Winery — Quinta da Romeyra

One of the most prestigious estates in the Bucelas appellation, Quinta da Romeyra has stewarded the Arinto grape since 1540 and claims the world's largest plantings of the variety across its 75 hectares. The estate gained renown in early 19th-century Britain when the Duke of Wellington championed its wines after the Peninsula Wars, later attracting celebrity devotion from Charles Dickens and Lord Byron. In 2018, the Guedes family acquired the property and invested significantly in viticulture, appointing talented winemaker Luís Cabral de Almeida to lead production. This 2023 vintage benefited from well-hydrated soils and mild spring temperatures followed by timely summer rain — conditions that allowed fruit to develop healthily and reach optimal ripeness a touch earlier than usual, with harvest running from late August into late September. Made using the traditional Champagne method with hand-harvested grapes, gentle pressing, bottle fermentation, and natural cork closure.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

Seafood is where this wine sings. Oysters, grilled fish, crab cakes, and briny shellfish platters will find a perfect partner in its vibrant acidity and mineral lift. It's equally at home as an aperitif or alongside light, salty dishes where its citrus snap becomes the centrepiece itself. The mineral intensity that comes from vines working hard in a temperate Atlantic-moderated climate makes this the ideal choice for Sunday lunch with family, a date night alongside fresh preparations, or any celebration that calls for something refined yet unpretentious. A vegetarian-friendly, sustainable choice that rewards curiosity — explore our broader Sparkling Wine collection alongside the rest of our Portugal selection.