Wines of the Alentejo Story and photos by Rosanna Bucknill variety which offers wines with The Alentejo covers a vast area of tropical notes, good body, and— land, almost one-third of Portugal, when well matured—floral and comprising eight sub-regions: perfumed characteristics. Arinto Reguengos, Borba, Redondo, is grown widely throughout the Vidigueira, Évora, GranjaAlentejo and is often blended to Amareleja, Portalegre, and Moura. produce wines with a good level Portalegre is the most northern of acidity. Roupeiro (also known as of the sub-regions, with a higher Siria) is a variety with high yields of average rainfall, producing wines grapes and characteristics of citrus with more elevated acidity. Soils and stone fruits. vary within the sub-regions, with areas of granite, limestone, schist, My recommendations for white and clay. The region of Borba has Typical Alentejan cork trees: the bark wines include the Esporão Monte an unusual marble bedrock which is harvested every 9 years during the Velho Branco, a blend of Antão leads to its particular wines having summer months Vaz, Roupeiro, and Perrum. It’s a slight mineral element. full-bodied, high in alcohol (14%), with notes of peach, As well as wine, the Alentejo produces large quantities of cork, olive oil, wheat, and livestock. For this reason, it is often referred to as the “breadbasket” of Portugal. Generally, the Alentejo is very dry and hot—its highest temperature—47.4 degrees Celsius— was recorded in Amareleja.
pineapple, apricot, and melon. The wine also has a high acidity, with some salinity and hints of minerality. A second suggestion would be to try the Herdade das Mouras-Tapada das Lebres de Arraiolos Premium Blanco made from Arinto and Antão Vaz. This great-value wine enjoys notes of grapefruit, and its medium body cuts, refreshingly, through salty food.
Alentejo is famous for easydrinking, full-bodied, fruity red wines. Rather than being called A unique trait in the Alentejo is the quintas, Alentejo wineries are practice of making wine using clay often called herdades. The main amphorae known as “vinhos de red grape varieties include talha.” Introduced by the Romans, Aragonez (also known as this method dates back around Tempranillo), Alicante Bouschet, 2,000 years. The pressed grapes and Castelão. Alicante Bouschet ferment for 8-15 days with their produces wine with a deep skins in large clay plots; the wine intense colour and bold tannin. Locals pair their wines with traditional is stirred twice daily, using a large Similarly, Castelão offers strong Alentejan black pork who graze on acorns wooden stick to help extract a tannic structure and powerful red deep colour. Eventually, the skins deposit at the bottom berry flavours. Trincadeira (also known as Tinta Amarela), of the pot and the wine can be filtered. Traditionally, these is another common grape variety found in Alentejo amphorae wines are enjoyed in November during the blends. Trincadeira grows well in hot and dry conditions, Festival of São Martinho. producing wines with full body and good acidity. My initial suggestion for a good, affordable Alentejo red is EA Cartuxa. The letters EA stand for Eugénio Almeida, who organised the vineyards in 1936. The wine has a pleasant, medium body with flavours of plum, blackcurrant, and rhubarb.
Wine tourism master, writer, and sommelier Rosanna Bucknill studied at the Universidade do Porto and University of Edinburg.
Whilst the Alentejo predominantly produces red wine, white is also produced. Antão Vaz is a popular white grape Summer 2022 45
