Some more highlights from Simplesmente Vinho to mention. There are a few more to come after this. A show full of interesting wines, for sure.

Marta Soares is an artist and a winemaker. She still lectures in art, but her main gig is wine. At Casal Figueira in Lisboa she makes wine from just one white and one red variety, on limestone. The white wine, from the rare Vital grape, is stunning. I tried the 2012, 2013 and 2015 of her António cuvée and was blown away. So intense, with amazing acidity, it’s like Grand Cru Chablis in its mouthfeel. Soares’ story is an interesting one, and her wines are incredible.

A first for me: a table wine from Madeira. It’s from Filipe Santos, who does a few things on the island, including running a wine shop. This wine, Primeira Paixão Verdelho 2014 is mineral, salty and delicious. It’s made at Adega de São Vicente, a state-owned winery that was established to help growers make table wines from Madeira.

Diego Santos (above) is a mechanical engineer with a passion for wine, and his Ohlo Gordo Dão Branco Reserva 2013 is a remarkable, textured white that’s mainly Encruzado. It’s a project with his cousin, who is the winemaker. This is sensationally good, and the red counterpart is also fabulous.

Filipa Pato is now well known, and it’s always a joy to taste her wines. 2014 was a difficult vintage in Bairrada, but the Nossa Calcario Branco 2014 is a super wine, stony, lemony and textured.

Pedralonga was a highlight. Miguel Alfonso is making some lovely wines from a special site in the Salnes district of Rias Baixas (we’re in Spain here, of course!). They’re all good, but my favourite was the Vendetta 2013, which is from old vineyards, and is textural fine after a year on the lees.