The Elegance of Schist: Minerality in Motion with Aveleda’s Solos de Xisto 2023
The Elegance of Schist: Minerality in Motion with Aveleda’s Solos de Xisto 2023
Aveleda’s latest release captures the tension between Atlantic freshness and the structure of unique terroir, offering Alvarinho with depth, finesse, and a true taste of place.
A Personal Discovery
I’ve always thought of Alvarinho from Vinho Verde as a lively, easy-drinking white — crisp, citrusy, and made for summer afternoons by the sea or the pool. But Aveleda’s new terroir-driven wines completely changed that perception. I didn’t expect Alvarinho to show such seriousness and depth — especially when comparing grapes grown on schist and granite soils. Two faces of the same grape, yet so distinct in personality.
About the Grape, the Region, and Aveleda
Alvarinho, known as Albariño across the border in Galicia, is one of Portugal’s most distinctive white grapes. In the Vinho Verde region, its home territory, the Atlantic climate shapes wines that are bright, mineral, and full of life.
Aveleda, one of Portugal’s most respected producers, has been perfecting that expression for generations. Family-owned since 1870, the estate blends tradition with precision, crafting wines that reflect place and purity. With the Solos line, Aveleda explores how soil transforms expression — and in doing so, elevates Alvarinho into a truly terroir-driven, age-worthy wine.
At Aveleda, Alvarinho isn’t just another grape — it’s one of their “queens.” As Viticulture Director José Carlos Fernandes explains, “We see Alvarinho as a cornerstone of our identity. It embodies freshness, minerality, and varietal purity — all key to our philosophy of expressing terroir.”
For Aveleda, Alvarinho serves both as a classic expression of Vinho Verde’s character and as a vehicle to push boundaries. Over the last decade, the winery has invested in exploring rare soils and microclimates, crafting terroir-specific wines that show the variety’s complexity and potential for ageing. “We now cultivate Alvarinho on seven estates throughout the region, about 90 hectares in total — and only three of them sit on schist soils,” Fernandes adds. “In a region where 95% of soils are granite, discovering and working these schist parcels has been a real asset.”
Balancing Tradition and Innovation
Oenology Director Diogo Campilho and José Carlos Fernandes describe Aveleda’s approach as “respect for nature guided by precision.” The estate keeps to traditional hand harvesting and minimal intervention, but complements that with modern enology: temperature-controlled fermentation, meticulous vineyard mapping, and extended lees ageing.
“Everything begins with the terroir,” Campilho says. “We interpret nature’s signs rather than impose technology. Stainless steel allows us to preserve aromatics and minerality, while batonnage on fine lees gives texture and balance — no oak needed.”
The result is a style that’s pure and expressive, where freshness leads but complexity lingers.
Two Faces of Terroir: Granite vs Schist
Aveleda Solos de Xisto 2023
Pale lemon in color, the wine opens with medium-plus intensity of citrus, lime, white flowers, ripe yellow apples, and a delicate hint of flint. On the palate, it’s vibrant and lean, with medium-plus acidity and focused fruit — white melon and apple leading into a clean, refreshing finish. There’s precision and tension, yet also generosity of fruit.
Compared to the Granito, the Xisto feels more complex, aromatic and floral, a wine that sings of freshness and bright fruit.
Aveleda Solos de Granito 2022
Also pale lemon but with golden hues, the Granito shows a more restrained nose — riper apple, stone fruit, yellow melon, and subtle smoky-earthy undertones. The palate is it shows more phenolic grip and saline persistence, finishing on yellow apple, smoke, and orange peel. It’s deeper, broader, and more textural — a striking contrast to the linear fruitier, full of energy of the Xisto.
What the Soils Say
The producer offers a fascinating explanation: “Schist allows vine roots to penetrate deeper, retaining more water and giving wines volume and structure. Granite, by contrast, is poorer and drains quickly, pushing the vines to struggle — and that stress translates into sharper acidity and a more direct, mineral profile.”
In the glass, this contrast is clear. The Solos de Xisto reflects roundness and layered complexity, while the Solos de Granito emphasizes tension and salinity — two unique readings of the same variety under the same Atlantic sky.
The Atlantic’s Influence
Aveleda’s vineyards benefit from the cool, humid Atlantic air that sweeps across northern Portugal. “The ocean regulates temperature and slows ripening,” according to the producer, “so we achieve full maturity without losing Alvarinho’s natural acidity. The schist soils, meanwhile, prevent excessive water stress, letting the vines express ripeness and freshness in harmony.”
The combination yields wines that are elegant and balanced — generous in fruit, yet vibrant in line and finish.
Vinification Choices and Ageing Potential
From harvest to bottling, the process is guided by delicacy. Grapes are hand-picked, gently pressed at low pressure, and fermented in stainless steel to preserve aromatics. The wines rest on fine lees with periodic stirring to build mid-palate weight.
“Our goal isn’t to add flavour, but to reveal texture,” notes Campilho and Fernandes. With acidities around 6.3 g/L and minimal residual sugar, Solos de Xisto remains crisp, dry, and precise.
Aveleda also believes this wine will age gracefully for up to 10 years, gaining complexity and integration while maintaining its bright backbone.
Terroir-driven wines like the Solos range are redefining Portugal’s global image. “They show that our wines can stand beside the best in the world for character and sense of place,” Fernandes says. These bottlings aren’t just regional curiosities — they’re statements of identity. With critical acclaim and international recognition, they’re helping lift Vinho Verde from a casual summer white to a category of serious, age-worthy wines.
Final Reflection
Tasting the Solos de Xisto 2023 and Solos de Granito 2022 side by side felt like discovering two dialects of the same language. One speaks with precision and vibrancy; the other with depth and salinity. Both express the brilliance of Alvarinho and the confidence of a producer unafraid to let the land speak.
It’s clear that Alvarinho, in the hands of Aveleda, can go far beyond freshness — it can tell the story of soil, climate, and vision.
SAQ AVAILABILITIES :
Aveleda Solos de Xisto 2023 - 100% Alvarinho - 25.20$ SAQ
Aveleda Solos de Granito Alvarinho 2022 - 100% Alvarinho - 25.20$ SAQ
Agent: Vins Dandurand
