Ameixâmbar, Adega do Vulcao 2023

Ameixâmbar is a classic white wine from Adega do Vulcão, made from indigenous Azorean varieties on the volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic. The name means 'amber plum' in Portuguese, hinting at the wine's golden colour and stone fruit character, but it's also a play on words – 'the one who is loved' – which perfectly captures the care and attention that goes into making it.

This is mineral-driven white winemaking at its best – think almost Burgundian in style. The volcanic soils give the wine its distinctive tension and precision, while the Atlantic climate keeps everything fresh and lifted. You get citrus, stone fruit, a pronounced minerality, and that characteristic volcanic edge that makes these wines so compelling.

Like all their wines, it's made with minimal intervention, letting the fruit and the site express themselves without interference. There's a purity and focus here that comes from old vines grown in challenging conditions, handled with care in the cellar. The result is a wine with real depth and complexity, but nothing feels heavy or overdone.

The Azores were once an important wine region, but most of the vineyards were abandoned over the years. Adega do Vulcão is part of a small movement working to revive winemaking here, and Ameixâmbar shows exactly what these islands can do when the focus is on quality and terroir expression.

If you're a fan of mineral-driven whites – Chablis, Muscadet, Albariño – this is essential drinking. Serve it well-chilled with seafood, grilled fish, or anything that benefits from a wine with precision and energy.