Textura Pretexto Dão Branco 2022

Textura Wines is one of the most exciting modern estates in Portugal's Dão region. Founded by Marcelo Araújo, the project combines meticulous vineyard work with a deep respect for the region's traditional grape varieties and granite terroir. The winery works primarily with high elevation vineyards on the slopes of the Serra da Estrela, where warm days and cool nights preserve freshness and aromatic intensity. Under the guidance of acclaimed winemakers Luís Seabra and Mariana Salvador, Textura has embraced sustainable farming and a low intervention philosophy, allowing each vineyard site to express its own identity.

The Pretexto range is designed to showcase the classic character of Dão through approachable yet terroir driven wines. The 2022 Branco is an equal blend of encruzado and bical sourced from roughly 20 year old vineyards rooted in granite soils. Fermentation takes place naturally using indigenous yeasts in a combination of stainless steel tanks, concrete vats, and a small proportion of neutral French oak. The wine then spends five to six months aging on its lees, building texture and complexity while preserving the purity and energy of the fruit.

The 2022 growing season was notably warm and dry, producing fruit with excellent concentration while retaining vibrant acidity thanks to the region's elevation. The finished wine opens with aromas of white flowers, crisp orchard fruit, citrus zest, fresh baked bread, and subtle brioche from its time on the lees. On the palate, it is bright and layered, combining lemon and green apple flavors with a creamy mid palate and the distinctive mineral, saline finish that has become a hallmark of Textura's white wines.

This is a wonderfully food friendly white that shines alongside oysters, grilled seafood, simply prepared fish, and fresh cheeses. While delicious in its youth for its freshness and precision, the wine also has the structure to develop additional complexity over the next several years. It is an excellent introduction to the elegance and understated power of the Dão, offering a Burgundy inspired texture while remaining unmistakably Portuguese in character.