Chão de Lava AA is Insula Vinus’ signature blend from Pico, where vines grow on black volcanic basalt and are protected by currais from the Atlantic. The fruit comes from the southern sites in São Mateus and older vines along the west coast in Criação Velha. The base is Arinto dos Açores and Verdelho. The result is a wine that captures the essence of Pico: salty, mineral-driven and precise.
The grapes are selectively hand-harvested and placed in 15 kg crates. Whole clusters are gently pressed. After 24 hours of settling, the must is racked to fermentation vessels. Fermentation and aging take place sur lies in small, horizontally positioned stainless-steel tanks for about one year to maximize lees contact and build texture without masking the origin.
In the glass: aromas from citrus and stone fruit to sea breeze and crushed basalt. The palate is fresh and taut with marked salinity, high acidity and a long, flinty finish. A wine where minimal intervention lets the volcanic profile speak.