Sogrape’s series of inspired, original, and unique wines has just introduced a white wine made using the “curtimenta” method. The new Série Ímpar is crafted by Luís Sottomayor and stands out for the unconventional nature of its skin maceration.
There are already several wines in Sogrape’s Série Ímpar: two vintages of Sercialinho—a white wine from Bairrada that showcases one of Portugal’s rarest grape varieties— Retorto—also a white wine sourced from old vines in the Serra de São Mamede, in Portalegre—and Solitário—a bold wine that begins as a red in Bucelas, a region renowned for its whites. Now comes the fourth installment, marking Luís Sottomayor’s debut in this series, which arose from a challenge issued by Fernando da Cunha Guedes to Sogrape’s winemaking teams in Portugal. The premise has always been to give free rein to imagination, creativity, and the desire to do things differently in this wonderful world of wine. And all the winemakers so far have successfully risen to the challenge.
The Ímpar Curtimenta series brings together attributes that, by chance, intersect with the number 3. Here, we have a white wine sourced from three Sogrape estates in the Douro, each located in one of the three subregions. But that’s not all: it’s a blended wine—more specifically, a blend of three vintages—made from three grape varieties—Alvarinho, Arinto, and Viosinho—fermented separately in three oak barrels.
Numerology aside, let’s turn to the story: Luís Sottomayor and his winemaking team in the Douro found inspiration in a group of plots at altitudes ranging from 450m to 650m, plots planted with the grape varieties that are the stars of this new wine and which held enormous potential for skin contact. This is a skin maceration process common in red wines, consisting of contact with the skins and seeds. When used in white wines, it results in fuller-bodied, more concentrated wines with greater volume.
Each barrel was used to vinify a single grape variety from its respective region—Viosinho from Quinta do Cavernelho in Baixo-Corgo, Arinto from Quinta do Sairrão in Cima-Corgo, and Alvarinho from Quinta do Castanheiro in the Upper Douro. The vintages that make up the blend are from 2017, 2018, and 2019 and were aged between 9 and 33 months in used 500-liter French oak barrels.
“The launch of a new Série Ímpar is always met with enthusiasm, driven by the eagerness to discover what’s to come and the element of surprise when tasting the new creation. It’s extraordinary to see that there really are no limits to the imagination and that, with what nature offers, our winemakers are able to produce fantastic, distinctive wines of exceptional quality,” says Fernando da Cunha Guedes, President of Sogrape.
For Luís Sottomayor, “Creating a wine like the Série Ímpar Curtimenta is an opportunity to showcase, once again, the excellence of a region like the Douro.” And regarding what makes it different, he comments: “It’s the quality and the fact that it’s a wine resulting from a blend of three different vintages, which give it complexity and harmony.”
The new Série Ímpar is now available in wine shops, specialty stores, and high-end restaurants. Along with this launch comes a new website, where you can now learn more about the stories and winemakers behind the previously released Série Ímpar wines: serieimpar.com/pt.
Série Ímpar Curtimenta
Quantity produced: 2,047 bottles Recommended
retail price*: €75.00
*indicative and non-binding