You might have heard folks whispering about how Portugal is a hotbed of amazing values — wines that way over deliver on their price tag. It’s true, but we should also be looking to Portugal for adventure. For a new generation of vigneron tapping forgotten terroirs and indigenous varieties to create stuff that hasn’t been seen stateside…ever.
Nuno Mira Do Ó is at the forefront of that new generation. He scours Portugal for hidden rows of native vines, and partners with old-timers who know the soils like the back of their hand. He’s everywhere, from the Atlantic coast of Bairrada to the forests of Dão. The result? Adventurous wines that showcase the true heart of Portuguese terroirs.
You can find his wines under the names Mira Do Ó, V Puro, and Sou. They’re starting to get more attention, but let’s be real: Nuno isn’t in it for fame. People like Nuno and the legion of winemakers he inspires are looking to find the real Portugal. To uncover terroirs that nobody is talking about. To take you into the wild beating heart of one of the most undervalued wine countries in the world.
Portugal is seen by some as a kind of final frontier of European wines. It’s been chugging along in relative isolation for years, its reputation dominated by Port. But wines like these are a new transmission. A crystal clear broadcast telling us to tune in — or get left in the dust.
Get to know some of our favorite wines from Nuno’s projects below.
V Puro Doravante Branco 2021
From the coastal Atlantic region of Bairrada, Nuno and his partner João Soares have created this delicious blend of Arinto, Bical, and Cercial. Usually, blends made from those indigenous varieties are fresh, but Nuno and João add a bit of creaminess and body by fermenting the Bical and Cercial in old oak. A deep mineral nose with notes of chipped stone, citrus, butter, and spice and a long, complex finish.
Mira do Ó Vidente Tinto 2019
This blend of Jaen, Alfrocheiro, Tinta Pinheira, and Touriga Nacional comes from the steely granite soils of the right bank of the Dão. It’s elegant and fresh, with a complexity gained from partial aging in oak. It’s a meaty, spicy, complex wine — with a rocky character balanced by the feeling of flowing silk.
Quinta de Santiago Tinto SOU 2021
Joana Santiago partnered with Nuno to create the Sou wines in the northern border of Spain and Portugal: Vinho Verde country. This red blend of indigenous varieties is aged for 11 months in used French oak. It’s berry forward and herbaceous with soft glowy tannins.
