WINES OF ALENTEJO
SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMME
INTRODUCTION & CONTENTS
CONTENTS 4 Overview A look at the region that make up Alentejo and how they and their vinous offerings have evolved
6 Map Your visual guide to Alentejo 8 Status and Vision How sustainability is driving change 10 Opinion Nick Breeze discovers why a regenerative approach is so important
12 Q&A Sustainability Programme head
João Barroso gives the inside story on the project
13 Sustainability in the Vineyard Six wineries involved in the project talk to Charles Metcalfe about their experiences
16 Event A report on the UK launch event for the Sustainability Programme
17 Opportunities in the UK James Lawrence looks at the
opportunities for the programme in a very competitive market
A supplement to Harpers Wine & Spirit SUPPLEMENT EDITOR Andrew Catchpole ART DIRECTOR Christine Freeman ART EDITOR James Down SUB EDITOR Jaq Bayles PUBLISHER Lee Sharkey 01293 558136 COMMERCIAL MANAGER Stuart Sadler 01293 590054 MANAGING DIRECTOR Russell Dodd
Sustainability in Portugal’s Alentejo
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ith sustainability currently a major topic of conversation throughout the wine world, the launch of the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP) in the UK is both timely and presents a major opportunity for producers and merchants alike. This supplement offers a variety of perspectives on the programme, with expert opinions, background from the instigators and commentary from wineries currently involved in the project. The richly diverse Alentejo is now offering a new generation of high-quality wines across the board that UK drinkers find attractive, alongside the fruity reds the region has been long been best-known for. And its concentration on innovative sustainability in the vineyards, the wineries and commercially throughout the production chain sees it taking inspiration from – and giving it to – other New World wine-producing countries as well as fulfilling consumer demands to combat climate change.
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OVERVIEW
Regional review
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BY CHARLES METCALFE he enormous Alentejo region occupies almost one third of Portugal. It has more vines than any wine region other than the Douro. Most of the Alentejo is in the south of Portugal, although the north east corner lies north of Lisbon, in granite mountains that soar towards the border with Spain. Apart from this region around the city of Portalegre, the Alentejo is rolling countryside, with the occasional fortified castle near the border with Spain. It’s hot country, mostly getting hotter the further south you travel, ideal for wheat, cork oaks, olives – and vines. There are whitewashed farmhouses (montes, as the locals call them), small dams to provide water for irrigation, and some livestock — horses, cattle, a few sheep and goats, and black pigs (beloved of ham-curers both sides of the border). Unsurprisingly in a hot climate, 80% of the wine is red, with 19% white and 1% rosé. 4 Vinhos do Alentejo
However, a couple of Alentejo sub-regions are noted for the quality of their white wines, Portalegre and (surprisingly southern) Vidigueira. The two hero Alentejo red grapes have traditionally been Aragonez and Trincadeira. These were joined around the end of the 19th century by Alicante Bouschet, developed in the South of France by Henri Bouschet, and adopted in the Alentejo as one of the region’s own. More recent incomers have been the Portuguese Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro, and Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon from France. Star white Alentejo grape is Antão Vaz, often supported by Roupeiro and Arinto. More recent incomers are Viognier and Chardonnay. The Alentejo’s main strength has always been its generously fruity reds, and these are still made in huge, affordable quantities. There is also a younger generation of fresher wines, red and white, which, according to Marta Mateus of UK importer Marta Vine, are going down well with British drinkers. She lists the grapes increasingly favoured for new plantings, all of which have good acidity: Arinto, Alvarinho and Sercial all contribute freshness
The Alentejo’s main strength has always been its generously fruity reds, and these are still made in huge, affordable quantities.
THE EVOLUTION OF EXPORTS OF WINES OF ALENTEJO TO THE UK, 2017-2021. EUROS (M)
3,8
2,2 1,6 1,2 2017 15%
1,1 2018 25%
2019 -29%
2020 102%
2021 69% 1,3
LITRES (M) 0,8 0,6 0,4 2017 0%
0,4 2018 35%
2019 -27%
2020 101%
2,78
2,70
2,73
2021 54%
EUR0/LITRES 3,00
2017 15%
2018 -7%
2019 -3%
2020 1%
3,00
2021 10%
READER SURVEY 2022: WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES OR REGIONS DO YOU FIND MOST INTERESTING AT THE MOMENT? 1. Portugal 2. South Africa 3. Italy 4. Spain 5. England/Wales 6. Greece 7. Argentina 8. Austria 8. France (Languedoc-Roussillon) 10. California 11. Germany 12. Australia 12. France (most or all regions) 13. Chile 13. France (Loire) 15. Hungary 15. New Zealand 17. France (Rhône) 17. US (exc California) 19. Lebanon 19. Romania
56.3% 44.7% 43.8% 40.4% 36.5% 33.7% 26% 24% 24% 20.7% 20.7% 20.2% 20.2% 16.8% 16.8% 13.5% 13.5% 12% 12% 11.5% Source: Wine Merchant Magazine 11.5%
in white wines, and Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional and Alicante Bouschet in reds. As ever, a crucial factor for UK buyers is price. Nick Oakley, of Oakley Wine Agencies, comments that Alentejo yields – slightly lower than in regions such as Tejo and Lisboa – mean that Alentejo wines “always look a bit more premium”. Jo Locke MW, Portuguese wine buyer for The Wine Society, feels that ‘other regions have been more proactive in their marketing’. However, she praises the recent event in London promoting the qualities of sustainablyproduced wines in the Alentejo. “Maybe this is the right moment for the Alentejo to promote sustainable wine. Now we’re all moving in that direction. And there were some very good wines.” Locke explains that Portuguese wines, excluding port, “have already accounted for 8-10% of Wine Society total volume for some years”. She adds: “We have a feature on Portuguese wines next month and there will be four Alentejo wines in that – 12.5% of all the wines in the promotion. So we’ll probably see more Alentejo wines at The Wine Society before long.” SUPPORTING SUSTAINABILITY Marta Mateus is likewise enthusiastic about the Alentejo Sustainability Programme. “Two of my wineries, Herdade dos Grous and Casa Clara, are signed up for the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP),” she says. “When I first started importing wines from Portugal,” she remembers, “it was all about Douro wines. Alentejo wasn’t really big in the UK. My family is from the Alentejo. It’s so diverse, with a lot of potential. My sales of Alentejo wine are constantly increasing.” Tiago Caravana, marketing director at Wines of Alentejo, is delighted that Alentejo wine producers large and small are going for WASP accreditation, and aware that other Portuguese wine regions are assessing the success of the Alentejo’s WASP programme. “But as well as our sustainability focus,” he says, “we’ve increased our sales to the UK 170% in the last two years. The UK is now our fifth biggest export market. And our wines match well with food, and the reds have soft tannins. They combine tradition with modernity. (The Alentejo is one of the two places in the world that has never stopped making wine in clay amphoras). And it’s only a short trip from the Algarve to some of our finest wine tourism locations.” As The Wine Society’s Locke puts it: “It’s the Alentejo’s turn now.” Vinhos do Alentejo 5
MAP
Alentejo Wine Sub-Regions
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STATUS AND VISION
Sustainability in action: driving change in Alentejo BY JAMES LAWRENCE
“Collective sustainability plans are common practice in some world wine regions and have been gaining importance in markets where Alentejo wines have also been gaining position” 8 Vinhos do Alentejo
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here is much to tempt oenophiles in the Alentejo region; winegrowers have become fantastically adept at exploiting their varied terroir – rich loamy soils interspersed with limestone and metamorphic rock – and Mediterranean climate. Indeed, the rising prominence of organic viticulture, facilitated by the dry summers, provides ample evidence of Alentejo’s outstanding potential. The region enjoys about 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, producing concentrated wines of real distinction. As a result, exports continue to grow and the message is starting to hit home: Alentejo is the land of diversity and premium quality. Yet the increasingly hot and dry growing conditions do present significant challenges and a potential threat to the region’s development. Taking a collegiate approach, Alentejo’s community has committed to a pan-regional sustainability programme, to ensure that viticulture remains sustainable and profitable in the 21st century. Launched in 2015, the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP) is a broad initiative, organised by the Alentejo Regional Wine Growing Commission. “Collective sustainability plans are common practice in some world wine regions and have been gaining importance in markets where Alentejo wines have also been gaining position,” explains coordinator João Barroso. “There was a clear urgency to create a regional movement towards best practices, resource savings, efficiency increases and prosperity aligned with the adaptation to climate change. Our programme includes
“ I believe that we should go far beyond a negative carbon footprint. We need to showcase a vineyard that has all the necessary tools to be as robust as possible in a changing climate - a model for others to follow. An inspiration and a charter of hope” term ‘sustainability’. Digital tools are widely employed, to map out the region’s overall progress. “We have identified producers that have reduced their water use by over 60%. We see growers reporting a reduction of around 20% of energy consumption, achieved via the adoption of energy efficient practices. But I would argue that our main tool for measuring success is the steady growth of third-party certified members in our Sustainably Produced scheme,” says Barroso.
themes as varied as sustainable viticulture, water, energy and waste management, pests and diseases, human resources, air quality, ecosystem management and community involvement.” The scope and ambition of the project is considerable. Encompassing a very heterogeneous group of members, including large-volume producers and small growers, Barroso is adamant that every participant should be allowed to implement the programme at their own speed, to ensure good levels of engagement and retention. Knowledge sharing is at the heart of WASP – there is an extensive database of best practice materials to help producers learn from their peers about issues that range from soil erosion to energy efficiency. “Five years after launching WASP, we launched the Sustainable Production certification, based on third-party assessment,” says Barroso. He continues: “This is key for the producers to have a competitive advantage in the global market. A rigorous certification process ensures that consumers are given a guarantee of authenticity – no one can ‘breeze through’’ the requirements.” According to Barroso, an overriding goal has been to “increase the number of members and spread the sustainability ethos advocated by WASP. We want Alentejo to become a sustainable wine-growing region of excellence”. Of course, expanding the programme’s membership is only the beginning. The project’s directors have created a very comprehensive metric for assessing the level of attainment, analysing the various strands of eco-friendly strategies, unified under the umbrella
WATER CONSERVATION Echoing the experiences of many regions, water conservation is now of vital importance in Alentejo. The project’s leaders are fighting to stop soil erosion and promote water retention, promoting regenerative agriculture strategies aligned with “precision irrigation methodologies and tools”. Barroso describes it as “the perfect wedding between old and new,” adding: “This way we promote water retention, fight against erosion, increase organic matter in the soil, boost synergies between the surrounding ecosystem (regarding both fauna and flora), and reduce the risk of pests and diseases inherent to drier environments.” The Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme has been tasked with a number of important roles. It is helping to coordinate and steer best practice in the Alentejo region. It is also responsible for providing invaluable support and advice to individual wineries who wish to up their sustainability game. But most crucially, the project has set out a pioneering vision that will define and safeguard Portuguese viticulture in a fast-moving and volatile age. “Our long-term goal is to have a region that is resilient to climate change. An area that will be able to endure dry summers, more regular, longer and more intense heat waves, shorter winters and intense short rainfall periods, and still make the unique, stylish and beautiful wines that our customers expect,” says Barroso. “I believe we should go far beyond a negative carbon footprint. We need to showcase a vineyard that has all the necessary tools to be as robust as possible in a changing climate – a model for others to follow. An inspiration and a charter of hope.” Vinhos do Alentejo 9
OPINION
Turning competitors into collaborators
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BY NICK BREEZE lentejo’s largest wine-producing area is also its most vulnerable to an increased frequency of climate extremes. Much of the area currently lies inland in an increasingly warm climate. In recent years the annual rainfall patterns have changed to become less frequent and more concentrated in downpours. This was spotlighted by Dr Gregory V Jones and colleagues as far back as 2005 in a research paper, Climate Change & Global Grape Growing Quality, that identified southern Portugal as being one of the most vulnerable wine-producing regions in the world. After my tour across the region I conducted interviews with a number of producers and also climate scientists with a special focus on wine. Dr Jones was one of these and he was quick to point out that the label of ‘vulnerable’ is now spread much more widely across the globe. With regard to regions such as Alentejo, the symptoms are: “Heat events during the middle of the summer are, of course, problematic. Not having enough water or, during drought periods where water becomes even more scarce, being able to hydrate the vines in any way, shape, or form…” FEELING THE HEAT When the conditions peak in the middle of summer, temperatures of 46ºC may be sustained for a few days. In this heat, it is not just the vines that shut down. Alentejo is also famous for olive oil production and, of course, cork production. Iain Richardson, of the historic Herdade do Mouchão estate, said the heat was weakening the cork trees, allowing insects to come in and finish them off. Having
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planted 30,000 new cork oak trees and planning to plant 15,000 more, Richardson says: “The mortality rate was enormous. We had roughly 600-800 trees every year which would die. And these are lovely old oaks. It was absolutely tragic for us.” With temperatures set to keep rising and the duration of heat spells to become longer, it is clear that traditional methods as we know them are not going to be sufficient to guarantee the widespread survival of the region. WASP The Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP) was set up to mitigate the Alentejo’s carbon footprint, economise on water usage and drive sustainability across the region. What I learned from speaking to producers active within the programme was that WASP actually created a framework for going beyond mitigation towards an urgent need to increase climate resilience. WASP coordinator João Barroso outlined his approach, saying: “Keeping the knowledge as power is gone. Sharing the knowledge is power. That’s the new paradigm. We had companies with a lot of knowledge and we had companies with a lack of knowledge and so what we managed to do… was to create this knowledge-sharing network.” Different producers I spoke to all stated that this was a major benefit of being in the programme. Mafalda Vasques, winemaker at Herdade dos Grous, said: “I think the most interesting aspect of the programme was that we could be in touch and see what the others were doing and we could copy and paste to our project and see what benefit there could be for us.” At Adega de Borba, a historic cooperative where more than 1,000 families are dependent on the survival of the business, I witnessed an incredible sustainability programme at scale. Director of production Helena Ferreira demonstrated a wide range of improvements across the business, from water recycling to incentivising growers to farm sustainably. Regarding climate impacts she says: “One of the most important things that we have noticed with this climate change is water scarcity.” We were speaking in late December 2021 in the middle of the rainy season and so far there had not been hardly any rain. The soils were dry. REGENERATIVE STRATEGY One of the most impressive solutions I saw being implemented was the use of regenerative techniques for viticulture. Producers like Adega de Borba, Casa Clara and Herdade de Coelheiros are using indigenous grasses and other plants as cover crops, which provides the network of pathways to capture the water from heavy downpours and store into the soils, avoiding run off and erosion.
NICK BREEZE
At Adega Mayor, close to the Spanish border, I was shown that every percentile area of soil is concealed from the sun. This diligent effort ensures greater resilience against moisture evaporation from the soils which otherwise degrade into dirt. At Adega Mayor, close to the Spanish border, I was shown that every percentile area of soil is concealed from the sun. This diligent effort ensures greater resilience against moisture evaporation from the soils which otherwise degrade into dirt. I visited estates like Coelheiros, close to Evora, Alentejo’s ancient capital, to see the balance of biodiversity, with manager Luis Patrão pointing out how the land is regenerating towards a balanced ecosystem. He credits WASP and the knowledge-sharing network and workshops with assisting its success. Going beyond this, Patrão says that every producer in Alentejo understands the climate issue because they are exposed to the impacts, adding: “If we don’t adapt, if we don’t take measures, we are out of business.” WORKING WITH NATURE The benefits of regenerative agriculture were echoed when I spoke to Sonoma-born climate and wine scientist Professor Kimberly Nicholas. “A lot of focus on regenerative agriculture is on rebuilding and maintaining soil health, including organic matter and carbon in the soil, which also affects climate change,” she said. “Soil globally contains about twice as much carbon as the atmosphere and the more carbon we can keep in the soil or help the soil take out of the atmosphere is directly fighting climate change.” Alentejo has led the way in Portugal and is reaping the benefits. The regenerative approach combines the vital elements of mitigation and adaptation. With consumers now increasingly concerned about the climate and ecological emergency, and climate scientists issuing their final warning to avert catastrophe, these efforts must be exponentially scaled up. As Dr Greg Jones says, pragmatically: “I think the best thing we can do is develop regional schemes that really work for those regions, but tie them into a broader understanding and framework at the global level.” Vinhos do Alentejo 11
Q&A
Shaping the future JOÃO BARROSO, THE MASTERMIND BEHIND ALENTEJO’S SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMME, EXPLAINS TO ANDREW CATCHPOLE WHY THE DO HAS TAKEN A LEADING ROLE AMONG EUROPEAN WINE REGIONS
Could you explain the thinking behind the programme? This programme started being thought of and designed around 2013 for a very simple reason. Alentejo exports a lot and there were a lot of markets – gatekeepers, monopolies, distributors – that would ask sustainability questions of the region which it could not answer. But other regions or countries could, such as Chile, California, South Africa, Australia or New Zealand. So the New World of wine has had, for some decades, programmes that are very detailed and very strong and that allowed them to have this competitive advantage in market. So that was obviously one of the reasons that made us boost the previous activities in Alentejo to a stronger programme. Hand in hand with that were the issues of sustainability per se, and climate change, because Alentejo is a very vulnerable region with regard to climate change and everything we can do to boost the resilience of the vineyards will be very welcome. So in 2015 we launched – it took us two years to understand what we were going to do. Why Chile and California, specifically? We decided it would be silly to reinvent the wheel, as there are a lot of good programmes around, such as Chile or California, so why not just pick and choose what is interesting for us? But obviously giving it our own flavour for our own needs and capacities, and then go for it. We have a really good relationship with California and Chile and these places are quite similar to Alentejo climatically, in terms of high temperature in summer, diseases and pests, etc, so we used their models for inspiration. 12 Vinhos do Alentejo
Who is it open to and what do winemakers and growers have to do to join, and sustain membership? This is a voluntary and free project and the sustainability programme offers different avenues. In Alentejo we have around 1,800 viticulturist and 200 cellars. That’s the general universe. In the programme, in our universe, we have over 500 members, of which around 400 will be viticulturist and some 100 are cellars, accounting for around half the vineyard area in Alentejo, but this is still growing, with those enrolled not necessarily sustainable, but working towards greater sustainability. Why is it such a long process to set up such a programme? I’m an environmental engineer by trade, I’m not from the world of wine, and I’m an expert in sustainability. One thing that for me is very important is the awareness of greenwashing and the fight against greenwashing. This was important when we launched this programme and also explains why the certification took so long, having only started in 2020. And this is why, in 2022, we only have 10 certified producers. Because everything was built in a way that means we can guarantee the whole chain of production, from grape to wine, all the raw material that goes into the process is within the parameters that we established as sustainable and is deemed eligible for certification. We hope to have 20 by the end of the year. Around 2016, we thought: “OK, this is going well, producers are making these changes, everybody’s sharing a lot of information, which is really rewarding. But what about the competitive advantage in the market that [the
producers] can have as some kind of manifestation of all the efforts put in?” So we partnered with four certification bodies – SGS, the biggest consulting group in the area of certification, Bureau Veritas, Certis and Kiwa Sativa – and these four organisations, on partnership with us, built up the documentation that would be required to deliver the certifications. It took three years, but this will help with recognition in the markets for the producers in the programme. What are the most obvious benefits? This is a programme very much oriented to efficiency improvements, resource saving, cost saving, financial saving and boosting of resilience, the regeneration of the system. And it’s very cross sectional. The programme looks at the aspects that it needs to look at in terms of environmental characteristics, but then also looks at labour, community, social development, socio-economic development, and then the base of all of this is the economic feasibility of doing whatever you need to maintain the sales and process of production. What support do you offer? We do a lot of training; awareness for viticulturalists and producers on sustainability, water management, energy, waste, climate change, and sustainable development from the perspective of the vineyard. I also tell them, like it or not, you need money to drive all of this forward. And well-trained people to carry out the work. But when you make those investments you will also see returns – at the community and worker level, in the health of the soils and vines, the quality of the wines, and commercially.
SUSTAINABILITY IN THE VINEYARD
Winery insights BY: CHARLES METCALFE
Rita Nabeiro, CEO, Adega Mayor We’re part of Delta Café, started by my grandfather. He started the wine project in 2007 to create more jobs in the region. We had to give back to the community and improve the environment. I approached João Barroso and he told me about the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP). The quick wins were easy – measuring electricity and water use. We thought about biodiversity and how it could impact production. We considered how we could involve the team, the community and suppliers. We know ESG (environmental, social, governance) is becoming more and more important. It was difficult to gather reliable data and we know we need to become more ambitious (converting to organic viticulture, for instance). But we’re benefiting from the insights all WASP producers can share. It’s a never-ending job, but we’re really proud of what we’re doing.
Alexandre Relvas Luis Patrão, manager Junior, executive of winemaking and president, Casa Relvas viticulture, Herdade de Coelheiros It has been complicated. We have 280ha of vines plus five main grape suppliers. We took on an employee to do all the paperwork for the application. It took a year, and was hard, because it was the first time this certification had been done. There were a lot of worries over the audit, but actually we were successful first time. There are great opportunities on the commercial side. For instance, Sweden has created a tender for a WASP wine. And it has helped in the general effort in Portugal to get people talking to each other, which was not always the case before. We’re very satisfied. It has been a long journey, but we have been pioneers. Before long, this will probably become mandatory.
We took the decision to join the project in 2017 when sustainability became one of the main pillars of the estate´s development strategy. We found WASP to be a great benchmark and roadmap for achieving these goals more quickly. We aim to conserve the estate´s biodiversity and to improve the soil´s fertility. We want to be more efficient in the use of water and energy, and to help rebalance the ecosystem to assist in pest management. We need to prepare Coelheiros for climate change! Now we have the certification, we will have better opportunities to sell our wines into more interesting markets where sustainability is embraced. And of course, it will help us to reduce water and energy waste and improve business profitability.
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SUSTAINABILITY IN THE VINEYARD
Miriam Mascarenhas, sustainability manager, Herdade dos Grous
Helena Manuel, farm manager, Herdade dos Lagos
Our winemaker, Luís Duarte, has always felt the estate should be based on sustainable principles. We have always moved towards regenerative and organic farming. So it was obvious to sign up for the WASP programme, and we were certified in 2020. We have preserved biodiversity, providing habitats for pollinators and other native species. We have protected our soils by planting beneficial mixes of seeds. We have reduced electricity and water use. We use only cartons, barrels and corks from certified sustainably managed forests. We have reduced our carbon footprint, and are making an annual commitment to reduce greenhouse gases and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Like most other WASP-certified producers, the investments have been considerable. All in all, our work will guarantee that the next generation will have at least the same, and ideally better, conditions for ensuring sustainable farming.
For us, sustainability is not a recent fashion, it has been the continuous work of more than 40 years. We added the support for this project to our existing organic certification, to give us more control over our resources. The main challenge was the bureaucratic side, implementing procedures and making them measurable. But they were extremely important to realise what we were already doing well, and where there are opportunities to improve. The WASP certification, together with our organic certification, makes us more visible to the final consumer. It all increases the reputation and reliability of our wines, and directly aids sales in markets that value sustainable principles.
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Pedro Ribeiro, general manager and winemaker, Herdade do Rocim Sustainability has been part of our DNA from the beginning of our winery. Preserving our ecosystem and our natural resources have been among our values from the start, so once the WASP programme was created we just felt joining was a natural move. We were very familiar with sustainability concepts so we can´t say there was any particular wall to overcome, but we felt it pushed us to be better, and to have a more organised mindset over some choices and procedures. We felt we were continuously learning and upgrading our processes, with more awareness of the right directions to take. The major reward and our biggest goal is the progress in ensuring we are preserving our ecosystem and becoming more and more sustainable.
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EVENT
UK launch event WHEN THE WINES OF ALENTEJO SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMME WAS PRESENTED TO THE UK TRADE IN MAY, ANDREW CATCHPOLE WENT TO DISCOVER MORE
THE EIGHT CERTIFIED PRODUCERS PRESENT AT THE EVENT: • Adega Mayor • Casa Clara • Casa Relvas • Herdade da Malhadinha Nova • Herdade de Coelheiros • Herdade dos Lagos • Herdade do Rocim • Herdade dos Grous 16 Vinhos do Alentejo
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s blind tastings go, the presentation of Alentejan wines at London’s Oxeye in May took quite a different and intriguing turn from the run-ofthe-mill. Against the backdrop of this hyper-sustainably run restaurant, the event opened with a walk-around snapshot of eight wines, with each representing some aspect of sustainability in the vineyard and/or cellar. To be fair, it was very much a guessing game, but this unusual opener did serve to highlight the progress that this region is making in all aspects green. The event was titled Wines of Alentejo – Leaders in Sustainability and had been organised to flag just how far this Portuguese DO has come since the introduction of its Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP) just 10 years ago. Modelled (with some local adaptation) on pioneering schemes in Chile and California, WASP represents by far the most advanced regionally encompassing sustainability scheme in any region of the Old World. As such, it provides a benchmark against which it must be hoped rival Portuguese and other European producing regions will set their own ambitious sustainability targets. Blind tasting done, each producer revealed which wine they had presented, discussing a particular aspect of sustainability as they did so. These included carbon-sequestrating work in the vineyards, organic practices, carbonreduction in the winery, water conservation, social sustainability and other facets besides. Francisco Mateus, director of the programme, was upbeat about how far Alentejo had come in terms of the number of producers and growers that had embraced WASP, while stressing that this was a long-term commitment for all. “We really had no idea how far we’d come on this journey in 10 years,” he said. “We’ve achieved good results, but are aware that the work will never be finished – each year there is
a new vintage, and the cycle starts again.” This was the first of a few live presentations of WASP, with similar events also initially scheduled to take place in Brazil and the US, targeting markets that are important to the region’s healthy and growing exports. The UK, though, was pinpointed as a first call, for a couple of rather strong reasons. “The UK has grown by 171% for us in the past two years alone, moving from our 10th export market to out fifth,” marketing director Tiago Carvana added. “But the UK is also very open to sustainability, the most open after the Nordics, so that is good as it gives producers that are not into sustainability a little push.” As if to prove the point, the calibre of attendees at the WASP event was high, ranging from the likes of Portuguese specialist importer Raymond Reynolds and the team from the sustainably-minded Marta Vines, by way of writers and communicators such as Peter McCombie MW and Ines Salpico, to the likes of Jo Locke MW of The Wine Society and David Morrison of Hallgarten & Novum. Sustainability Programme manager João Barroso then explained how Alentejo, with its warm, southerly climate, was already at the forefront of feeling the effects of climate change. “It is getting hotter and hotter in Alentejo,” said Barroso. “This is why, in 2015, we launched WASP, to support the [alleviation] of impact in the environmental and social sectors, as well as to protect and promote the economic performance of Alentejo wine itself.” Barroso also addressed the need for communication beyond the trade, to help consumers thread their way to greater understanding of what sustainability entails and embraces. This is especially important as there are so many differing strands to sustainability that it’s not always the easiest concept to explain. WASP has much to commend it and Alentejo certainly deserves the recognition due for its holistic sustainability programme.
OPPORTUNITIES
Alentejo’s UK potential
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BY JAMES LAWRENCE ow can Alentejo increase its renown in a vastly competitive market like the UK? The region’s strategy has been to seduce the trade with original flavours, a passion for sustainability, and its natural verve. The vineyard, located south east of Lisbon, is a Mediterranean paradise filled with indigenous grape varieties, beautiful scenery and a burgeoning tourism sector. It’s an attractive proposition for buyers looking to excite clients in the off and on-trades. “We wanted to expand our Portuguese range and for me Alentejo was the first place to look,” says Steve Daniel, head of buying at Hallgarten & Novum Wines. “I personally see the consumer moving away from New World as an immediate fall-back position. It is making less and less sense to ship wines halfway across the world when you have very interesting good value wines from distinctive local grapes on your doorstep – Alentejo excels at this.” Ben Knollys, MD at Hatch Mansfield, is another fervent supporter of Alentejo wines. “Portugal has been a country to watch for a while, and Esporão, with its heartland in Alentejo, had certainly stood out to us as an ideal partner, so when the opportunity to represent these fantastic wines presented itself, we grabbed it with both hands,” he says. “We are very excited to represent not only one of the top growing countries but also one of the most dynamic sub-regions, having been steadily increasing for the past three years in the UK.” Of course, distributors and importers have their choice of brands and regions that wish to increase their UK market share. Yet many in the trade believe that Alentejo’s wineries are blessed with an inherent advantage, not least in terms of the diversity of styles they offer. “For us, the region showcases complexity, a variety of styles and flavours but at a mix of price points,” says Knollys. “This, combined with a modern style of winemaking and an environmentally-friendly philosophy, makes it a very attractive offer for the UK consumer,” The dynamism sweeping across Alentejo is another point of consensus among the trade – buyers regard the region as one of Europe’s most exciting and innovative.
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Vinhos do Alentejo 17
OPPORTUNITIES
“I have noticed that the differences between north Alentejo and south Alentejo wines are increasing rapidly,” says Marta Mateus, founder of Marta Vine. “The change in climate is very noticeable; north Alentejo has a higher altitude; different geology and it is making wines of great freshness and complexity. Meanwhile, central and southern Alentejo benefit from the cooling influence of Alqueva [the large reservoir created by a big damming project].” Mateus also observes that she has seen more investment in the region, particularly in the fields of sustainability and tourism. “There has been a significant rise in day trips from the Algarve to Alentejo wineries. Herdade dos Grous receives many guests on a daily basis – it is just over an hour away from many of the top resorts. This leads to a plethora of direct enquiries every summer that we pass on to one of our customers to fulfil,” she adds. Steve Daniel agrees: “Since I first started to engage with the region, I have noticed winemakers becoming more confident. I have also seen more styles emerging from the region. Whether this is more fresher, mineral wines appearing from cooler regions such as Vidigueira or experimenting with different fermentation vessels such as talhas or amphora.” QUALITY EVOLUTION Leading importer Raymond Reynolds also identifies the rise of small and medium-sized wineries as an important part of Alentejo’s quality evolution. In addition, he is delighted with the resurgence of the Vinho de Talha tradition. “All this has introduced a greater variety of styles in the Alentejo’s wines which pushes the quality level up – the best part,” says Reynolds. “What the Alentejo needs to do now is to shift the marketing narrative to highlighting the sub-regions/ terroirs more. This will encourage wineries to explore further their individual terroirs and keep the upward trend to quality and diversity.” Ultimately, the best metric for evaluating Alentejo’s success in the market is the level of enthusiasm witnessed from the trade and, of course, wine lovers. In this regard, there is a tangible sense of optimism surrounding the region, with buyers continuing to expand their portfolios. “I am very pleased with Alentejo’s UK sales performance – so much so that I decided to add two new wineries to my range,” enthuses Marta Mateus. “We introduced Casa Clara and Mingorra into the UK in early May and are already reordering from both producers. It seems people trust these wines more every year and are genuinely excited when new ones are introduced to the UK market. In 12 years I have never known wines sell as freely as my two new brands have this year.” 18 Vinhos do Alentejo
“What the Alentejo needs to do now is to shift the marketing narrative to highlighting the sub-regions/terroirs more. This will encourage wineries to explore further their individual terroirs and keep the upward trend to quality and diversity”
IN EACH WINE, ONE ALENTEJO
Together we are building a more sustainable future for our region
