Portugal’s Alentejo wine region sits in the southern part of the country. It is Portugal’s largest wine region and occupies 30% of the country’s land mass. In terms of acres planted to vines, Alentejo represents 13% of Portugal’s total acreage. But in terms of domestic sales, both by volume and value, Alentejo comprises more than one-third. Portuguese consumers know a good thing when they taste it, and you too can get to know Alentejo wines because exports to the US are increasing.
During a recent webinar, Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein put Alentejo’s place in Portugal’s wine world in perspective for me with just the few fact above. He went on to explain to our group just what makes Alentejo’s wines so attractive. He did so by choosing six wines that demonstrate Alentejo’s unique qualities. Before we taste the wines, which we received as tasting samples, just a quick introduction to Alentejo.
Hello Alentejo!
More than just grapes are planted in the Alentejo region. Predominant agricultural crops include wheat, barley, oats and rice, all of which are gown on the best soils in the flat parts of Alentejo. Grapes, olive trees and cork oak trees are grown in more marginal soils, which is perfect for grapes because they need to struggle a bit to make the most interesting wines.
The climate in Alentejo is warm and described as Mediterranean. As you might expect the warm temperatures favor red wine production (78.9%), with smaller amounts of white wine (19.7%) and just a splash of rosé (1.4%).
Within the enormous Alentejo region there are eight designated sub-regions. They are located mostly in the northern and central portion of the region. Wine made from grapes grown in these defined regions that meets the specifications of the Denominacao de Origem Controlada (DOC) can be labeled Alentejo DOC. The sub-region name may also appear on the label along with Alentejo DOC, but doesn’t always.
Wines that are made from grapes outside these sub-regions can be labeled Vinho Regional Alentejano. These are also very high quality wines, Evan told us, so don’t be dissuaded by the Vinho Regional classification.
Let’s Taste & Learn
2022 Herdade de Malhadinha Nova Antão Vaz da Malhadinha Branco, Vinho Regional Alentejano — medium yellow with generous aromas of citrus, oat hay, honeysuckle and stone fruit. Flavors lead with citrus, then stone fruit and honeysuckle supported by juicy acidity in a round body. The finish is very long. 12.5% abv. SRP $30
Portugal is home to more than 250 indigenous or autochthonous grape varieties. That’s a bunch and promises wines with unique flavors.
Antão Vaz is a white grape found mainly in Portugal and mostly within Alentejo, where it is the most-planted white variety. Antão Vaz is prized for its lifted flavor profile and ability to maintain good acidity even in warm conditions.
Evan told us it is very unusual to find a varietal bottling of Antão Vaz. In fact, blending grapes is the rule rather than the exception in Alentejo’s white and red wines. For this wine, 100% Antão Vaz, grown in Albernoa near Beja, was cold fermented in stainless steel.
2021 Quinta da Fonte Souto Branco, Alentejo DOC — light golden with aromas of beeswax and white flowers. Flavors include citrus pith, beeswax and oat hay supported by juicy acidity. A bit of spice lingers on the palate. 14% abv. SRP $29
Elevations in Alentejo are not as lofty as some wine regions, but there are mountainous parts of the region. With elevation come more solar intensity, complex, poor soils and very wide day-to-night temperature swings.
The Symington family, which established itself in the Douro five generations ago, first in Port production and then dry red wine production there, made its first investment outside the Douro in Alentejo’s Portalegre region in 2017. Portalegre is located in the Serra de São Mamede (the mountains of São Mamede) in the northeast of Alentejo, which boast the highest elevations in Alentejo.
The blend of 75% Arinto, 25% Verdelho was sourced from the highest elevations on the Symington’s Quinta da Fonte Souto, a 512-acre property. The blend was fermented in 500-liter oak barrels with lees contact. Aging took place in new and used French and central European oak and a small amount in stainless steel. This is a beautiful wine made using two highly-regarded Portuguese grape varieties that is delicious now and will also age well according to Evan.
2017 José Maria da Fonseca Jose de Sousa, Vinho Regional Alentejano — dark ruby with aromas of ripe blackberries, dusty earth and dried brush. Flavors include blackberries, hints of licorice, earth and cocoa. Juicy acidity lingers on the finish along with gauzy, drying tannins in a medium body. 14.5% abv. SRP $19
Alentejo has its own long history of winemaking in clay vessels known as ânforas or talhas in Portuguese.
Here talhas are used aboveground rather than underground, like clay vessels used in some other wine regions. Talhas may be lined to prevent leakage or unlined. The grapes are added with or without the stems (the winemaker’s choice) and stirred with long wooden paddles called macaco. Talhas are moistened on the outside and sometimes wrapped in burlap to keep them cool.
Another charming detail Evan shared with us: the method of sealing the open top of the talhas varies by region within Alentejo. Some use wooden or clay tops or brown paper, others use a thin layer of olive oil.
In 2012 Vinho de Talha DOC was established. The rules are quite strict: grapes must come from one of Alentejo’s established sub-regions, the grapes must be de-stemmed, must be fermented in talhas and the wine and skins must remain in the talhas until November 11 (St. Martin’s Day).
Some winemakers, as is the case with this wine, only use the ânforas for part of the winemaking process. This wine was foot trodden (a traditional method of crushing grapes under foot in a lagar), then fermented in ânforas and finally, aged in stainless steel — hence it is a Vinho Regional Alentejano.
True to the Portuguese style of winemaking this wine is a blend: 58% Grand Noir, 22% Trincadeira, and 20% Aragonês. Grand Noir is a cross created in 1855 by Henri Bouschet.
2021 Fitapreta Tinto, Vinho Regional Alentejano — dark duty with aromas of red fruit including raspberries and cherries. Flavors include primarily cranberries and pomegranates along with blackberries and earth. The finish is fresh, and juicy with substantial, gauzy tannins in a medium body. 14.5% abv. SRP $27
This wine is made in a more modern style (fermentation in stainless steel) while using a traditional blend of grapes. With both red and white grapes in Alentejo (and Portugal) blending is the rule rather than the exception.
This wine is a blend of 40% Aragonês, 30% Alicante Bouschet, 30% Trincadeira, 10% Castelão. For both red and white wines, Alentejo DOC wines must be at least 75% of a specific list of red or white grape varieties. The winemaker is free to use whatever proportions of the allowed grapes to equal 75%. The remaining 25% may include a longer list of grape varieties that includes international varieties.
The wine is fermented with natural yeasts largely in stainless steel (less than 10% neutral oak). The wine is then aged for seven months in 50% new French and central European oak, 40% used oak and 10% stainless steel. The flavors are fresh and precise.
2018 Alexandre Relvas Herdade de São Miguel Colheita Seleccionada Tinto, Vinho Regional Alentejano — medium ruby-garnet with aromas of berry and plum compote. Flavors include dried figs and plums, blackberries, leather and iodine with good acidity. Tannins are gauzy in a medium body. 13.5% abv. SRP $16
Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Program (WASP) was established in 2015 and became the first such program adopted by a Portuguese wine region.
Alentejo regularly experiences some of the warmest temperatures in Europe and water is a constant concern. These factors prompted the the Alentejo Regional Wine Growing Commission to establish the comprehensive, voluntary program to encourage efficiencies in the vineyard and wine cellar and also includes a social responsibility component.
The program includes 171 criteria and a grower or winery must satisfy 86% or more of the criteria to become certified. According to the Wines of Alentejo website, certification is achievable in the vineyard, the wine cellar or both vineyard and wine cellar. 651 members have joined WASP covering 13724 hectares and 20 members have achieved certification. One-third of Alentejo wines are WASP certified. Look for the certification seal on the back label.
One more word about sustainability: Corks
- Portugal has 35% of the world’s cork oak forests
- 84% of Portugal’s cork oaks are in Alentejo
- Portugal produces nearly 50% of the world’s corks
- Cork trees must absorb CO2 to make energy to grow back cork bark that is harvested
- A cork oak forest absorbs 70 tons of CO2 to replace each ton of cork harvested
Let’s hear it for the cork oak forests!
In addition to it’s WASP certification, Casa Relvas is demonstrating its dedicated sustainability by preserving indigenous grape varieties and developing drought-tolerant varieties in their large grape vine nursery. Only a small amount of the estate’s total acreage is planted to vineyards, the vast majority supports wildlife and cork trees.
The blend is 50% Alicante Bouschet, 30% Touriga Nacional, 10% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon with the international varieties contributing only subtle flavor and textural notes to the wine’s character.
2021 Herdade de Rocim Alicante Bouschet, Vinho Regional Alentejano — dense ruby with generous aromas of ripe raspberries and boysenberries. Flavors include cherries, boysenberries, black raspberries and earth supported by juicy and fresh acidity. Tannins are very grippy and gauzy in a medium body. 14.5% abv. SRP $23
Alicante Bouschet is a flagship variety in Alentejo even though it is not an indigenous variety.
Alicante Bouschet is a cross created in France, after the phylloxera infestation, by Henri Bouschet. It is a teinturier grape, meaning its flesh and juice are red. As a result the wines are very dark in color.
Two percent of the world’s acreage of Alicante Bouschet is planted in Portugal and 20% of Portugal’s plantings are in Alentejo. Only Aragonês is planted to more acreage in Alentejo than Alicante Bouschet.
In spite of the variety’s complex flavor profile and because of its astringency, it is most often part of a blend. But, as this wine demonstrates, Alicante Bouschet can make a complete and pleasing wine on its own.
The Alicante Bouschet in this wine was grown organically in Vidigueira. In the wine cellar the grapes were foot trodden in a lagar. The wine then aged in French oak for 12 months and in bottles for 6 months. Evan mentioned Alicante Bouschet ages very well.
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I hope you are convinced you need to taste Alentejo wines. They’re delicious, balanced, very affordable and made to pair with a meal. You should be able to find them in most major US markets.
Master the World packaged the 187ml bottles of wine for this tasting and the webinar was presented by Full Circle Wine Solutions. Evan Goldstein, MS, and Limeng Stroh are founders of both organizations.
Thanks to Creative Palate Communications for organizing our tasting.
Cheers!
