Pai Chão white voted Portugal’s best white wine

Adega Mayor once again stands out on the national wine scene. Pai Chão Branco Grande Reserva 2022 was voted Portugal’s best white wine in the ‘Top 10 Portuguese Wines’ organised by Essência/Revista de Vinhos. Carlos Rodrigues was responsible for the oenology of this wine.

The Top 10 was selected by a panel of 50 experts – including journalists, critics, sommeliers and importers – from 14 nationalities, in a rigorous blind tasting. In total, 65 samples were assessed after a pre-selection carried out by Revista de Vinhos. The winners were announced and awarded at the Feitoria Inglesa in Porto on 21 February.

With a history dating back to its first harvest in 2009, Pai Chão is a tribute by Rita Nabeiro, CEO of Adega Mayor, to her grandfather and founder of the company, Comendador Rui Nabeiro. The wine’s name reflects a play on words between ‘Pai Chão’ and ‘passion’, symbolising the Commander’s deep love for the Alentejo and Campo Maior. The inaugural vintage was launched in 2011 during Wine Talks & Arts, an event that brings art and wine together in a relaxed way.

At the end of 2023, Adega Mayor extended the Pai Chão range, which until then only included reds, with the launch of the unprecedented Pai Chão Branco 2022. For Rita Nabeiro, this distinction is special: ‘This is a range made up of demands and detail, but also of soul and meaning, because of the tribute it pays to my grandfather, Rui Nabeiro. This recognition, in the very first vintage we present, is a very important milestone in our journey and reinforces our commitment to quality. We would like to thank Revista de Vinhos and all our customers and consumers who, over the last 18 years, have challenged us to always do better.’

Produced from the Arinto and Sercial grape varieties, the wine stands out for its citrus yellow colour and aromatic complexity. On the nose, it displays a strong mineral impression combined with notes of citrus peel, delicate flowers and resinous notes. On the palate, it surprises with its balance between freshness, acidity and minerality, with a long, striking finish. To celebrate its uniqueness, each bottle is presented in an elegant wooden box, the lid of which is a book entitled ‘Eis a Essência’, written by José Luís Peixoto especially for this project.

‘Adega Mayor Pai Chão Branco Grande Reserva 2022 is an irreverent wine with personality. It has longevity and authenticity. It’s fresh, with balanced acidity, a white wine that doesn’t reflect the hot Alentejo, but aims to be disruptive in the usual Alentejo profile,’ emphasises winemaker Carlos Rodrigues.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)