Niepoort (Vila Nove De Gaia, Portugal)

NAT’Cool is Dirk Niepoort's line of wines that are low-intervention, low-alcohol, available only in a 1L format, affordable, and highly smashable. This cloudy pét-nat ish Vinho Verde, comes from the sub-region of Lousada, and is a mix of Azal, Arinto, Avesso, Trajadura, and Loureiro, from vines 25-30 years old. After beginning the ferment in stainless, it was bottled with a few grams RS, so it could continue to percolate in the bottle, affording it a gentle spritz. With a new colour blocked label, this is brisk and dry, with light elderflower, lemon, pear skin, meadow grass skipping along the slight 11 degree palate, lingering with gentle astringency. Very natty, and very Nat'Cool!

11%