THE WINE 
Named after the salty sea breeze coming from the Atlantic this 100% Loureiro is a classic expression of the region and style of Vinho Verde.  Made in a collaboration between biodynamic winery, Aphros, and UK importer Les Caves Pyrene. 
 
THE PEOPLE
Aphros is a biodynamic winery in the Vinho Verde region of northern Portugal, founded in 2003 by Lisbon architect Vasco Croft on his family's 17th-century estate, Casal do Paço, in the Lima Valley. Croft's interest in Steiner's philosophy and years leading Portugal's Waldorf education movement led him naturally toward biodynamics, and he's now regarded as one of Portugal's pioneers in biodynamic viticulture. The first biodynamic preparations were applied to the land in October 2006, and the estate spans about 20 hectares, including vineyards, chestnut orchards, and forest, centered on a granite 16th-century manor house with its own chapel. Working mainly with the native Loureiro and Vinhão grapes, Aphros produces everything from still wines to classic-method sparkling and pét-nat styles, using low-intervention methods, indigenous yeasts, and minimal sulphites. 
 
THE PLACE
Vinho Verde sits in Portugal's far northwest, a green, rain-fed corner of the country stretching toward the Spanish border. The region splits into nine distinct districts, with grapevines following the rivers that cut through the landscape, rooted in granite-based soil that gives the wines their characteristic sharp acidity. Despite its name, "Vinho Verde" doesn't refer to colour but to youth.  These wines are bottled and enjoyed within months of harvest, prized for their crisp, lively character rather than aging potential. White wine dominates production, built mainly from indigenous grapes such as Alvarinho, Loureiro, and Trajadura, all known for staying light on alcohol while delivering bright, zesty freshness. Though whites lead the way, the region also turns out reds, sparkling wines, and rosés, the latter typically built around the deeply coloured Vinhão grape.