Valoroso Chardonnay 2021

Portugal

Classic Movie Pairing

Excalibur (1981)

King Arthur's evil half-sister and his wife's affair with Sir Lancelot threaten his dream of finding the Holy Grail.

About This Wine

White - Dry White - Dry
Chardonnay Chardonnay
750.00 ml 750.00 ml
Portugal Portugal
13 % 13 %
2021 2021

Wine Food Pairings

Chicken, seafood, butter/cream sauces, soft cheese, risotto.

Wine Flavor Profile

Valoroso Chardonnay is a medium-bodied white wine with expressive aromas of ripe nectarine and yellow plum. Succulent and well balanced, the palate delivers apple, yellow peach and buttered toast flavors with a long, mineral-tinged finish.


We’ve championed Portugal’s rich, native reds for years. Now, we’re excited to bring you something fresh: Valoroso Chardonnay, a ripe, rounded white wine that sports a history of gold-medal acclaim.

Valoroso means ‘valiant’—and this luscious Chardonnay pays tribute to the ‘Comendadora’ title (aka ‘knighthood’) that fourth-generation proprietor Leonor Freitas (below) was awarded by the Portuguese government for service to the wine industry. Her family’s estate was founded by Deonilde Freitas in 1920, and today its 210 hectares of vineyards produce some of the country’s finest wines. Look no further than this gorgeous example, crafted by head winemaker Jaime Quendera, who has won over 1,000 gold medals during his illustrious career.

Being the choosy, quality-focused winemaker that he is, Jaime took his time in selecting the grapes—only the finest parcels made the cut. You’re in for aromas of yellow plum and nectarine, with a succulent palate of ripe apple, yellow peach and buttered toast (thanks to a delicate, four-month slumber in top-notch oak barrels). There’s great balance here (a hallmark of all Jaime’s wines) and a long, mineral-tinged finish. It’s a perfect partner for hearty vegetarian fare or citrus-roasted chicken.

“Portugal is one of the most dynamic wine-producing nations in the world today,” writes Wine Spectator. And thirsty fans everywhere are starting to catch on.

The life story of King Arthur is chronicled. When Uther Pendragon was smitten with the Duke of Cornwall's wife, the magician Merlin helped him disguise himself as Cornwall, and Arthur was conceived. In his youth, Arthur did what no one else could do when he pulled the magical sword Excalibur from the rock in which Pendragon has lodged it. Arthur goes on to many successes: He marries the beautiful Guenevere, discovers the brave Sir Lancelot, and creates the Round Table, bringing together the knights who were previously fighting with each other. But Arthur's half-sister Morgana plots against him.

Wine Spectator
on Portugal