Hugo Mendes, Pitau Branco, 2024 CALIFORNIA COUNT of Venica & Venica)

of Venica & Venica)

The 2021 vintage opens with aromas of ripe red berries—cherry

Giuseppe Rinaldi never followed the modern Barolo movement—no French barriques

dried roses

Hugo Mendes, Pitau Branco, 2024 CALIFORNIA COUNT of Venica & Venica)Hugo Mendes trained as a biotech engineer before the wine bug bit, working his way up to head winemaker in Bucelas before going solo with his own label outside Lisbon. His Pitau range was created with a purpose beyond the glass, to fund social work in the area near where he and his wife grew up. The Branco is built from traditional Lisboa white grapes like Fernao Pires, Vital and Arinto, the kind of nearly forgotten varieties Mendes loves to champion.