When you think about Portuguese wine, Vinho Verde—the crisp and often prickly white wine—or Port wines might come to mind. But a recent event hosted by the Alentejo Wine Commission at the Portuguese embassy in D.C. showcased a much more diverse portfolio.
Alentejo—a southern region best known for producing about half the world supply of cork—nearly lost is wine-making traditions when the nation’s dictator, António de Oliveira Salazar, reorganized the nation’s agricultural industry in the 1940s. Presenting that night, Portuguese wine writer Rui Falcão explained that Salazar’s policies replaced many vines with cereals, leaving only small parcels for viticulture. Those small farms continued with their traditional wine-making practices into the 1980s, when modern techniques and experimentation with international varieties began. Alentejo now offers wines from both old and new traditions and also intermingles the two.
Alentejo produces red (80 percent) and white wines, much of which consist of blends. Interestingly, some blends come from fields that include a mixture of many different varieties that ripen at different times. Vines are harvested together, mixing varietals and various levels of ripeness. Falcão says these blends are complex and better than the component parts.
All of the wines presented are available in the states. Consumers can contact importers (numbers provided below) to see which retail outlets carry these wines or to provide the numbers to local retailers who might want to stock them.
The first of the two whites tasted that night—the 2009 Paulo Laureano Reserve—was 100 percent Antão Vaz grape, which offers both crisp and creamy flavors, with stone fruit (peach), tropical fruit and a hint of oak. The wine is oaked and aged on the lees (yeast), which are periodically stirred to add toasty flavors and complexity. It was served with a dish produced by Portuguese chef José Avillea, which was composed of sautéed scallops, mushrooms, pineapple and aromatic herbs—a delightful match. The wine retails in the states for about $18 and is imported by Aidil Wines & Liquors (973/344-6820).
Falcão described the second white—the 2008 Pera Manca, produced by Fundação Eugénio De Almeida—as one of the region’s “iconic wines,” produced by one of the region’s traditional wineries, although this specific wine was first produced in 1990. A blend of Antão Vaz and Arinto grapes, it is also matured with lees stirring, aged in French oak and stainless steel, followed by six months of more aging in the bottle prior to release. This wine also maintained its fruit—in this case, citrus—while still taking on the richness of wood and lees. It is imported by Tri-Vin Imports (914/664-3155).
The evening continued with the tasting of 10 exceptional red wines—too many to detail here, so we’ll highlight two and follow with a list of the rest. Any are worth trying, should you see one on a retail shelf.
Falcão explained that the region produces mostly blends, but perhaps most interesting that night was the 2007 Esporão Alicante Bouschet—made with 100 percent Aliante Bouschet—produced by the Herdade do Esporão winery. The wine is deep, rich and complex with dark fruit and chocolate notes and grippy, yet still soft, tannins. Jay Youmans, the Master of Wine who guided the tasting, compared it to a big Australian Shiraz. Yet it also has some very unique qualities. It retails for $50. It is imported by Aidil Wines and Liquors (973/344-6820.
It’s worth noting that this grape variety has not performed this well elsewhere. Falcão says it has become a signature varietal for the region, much the way Malbec is for Argentina. This unusually small, thick-skinned grape is unique in that it has red flesh and juice, whereas most grapes—even red grapes—have white juice and flesh, adding color to wine only through skin contact. Alicante Bouschet has mostly been used to add color to wines, but this wine shows it has much more to offer than just color.
The 2008 Adega Cooperativa de Borba Reserva represented a classical blend of four Portuguese grapes—Trincadeira, Aragonês, Castelão, and Alicante Bouschet made by one of the region’s oldest cooperatives. It is both juicy and earthy with red pepper and fruit flavors. It retails for about $15. Imported by L & B Beverage Inc (508/673-1917).
Other Portuguese reds we tasted and worth finding for include:
2006 Herdade Perdigão Reserva—Trincadeira, Aragonês, Cabernet Sauvigon. It retails for about $49. Imported by Luiz’s Liquor Inc (508/673-1917) and L & B Beverage, Inc. (401/434-9991).
2007 Herdade São Miquel Reserva—Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês, Cabernet Sauvignon. It retails for about $39. FJN Fine Wines LLC, Cumberland, MD.
2007 Marquês De Borba Reserva –Trincadeira, Aragonês, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon. It retails for about $75. Imported by Miltons Distributing Company (800/669-0750)
2008 Herdade Dos Grous Reserva—Alicante Bouschet, Tinta Miúda, Touriga Nacional. It retails for about $60. Imported Imported by Barterhouse (917)463-3076 and Vinum Wine Importers and Distributors, LLC (206/621-8843.
2007 Marias Da Malhadinha—Aragonês, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon. It retails for about $100. Imported by Quintessentail Wines (707/280-0263).
2005 Dona Maria Reserva—Alicante Bouschet, Petit Verdot, Syrah. It retails for about $40-45. Imported by Grapemoments (508/997-0100).
2007 Herdade Do Mouchão Tonel No 2-4—Trincadeira, Aragonês, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon. It retails for about $120. Imported by Aidil Wines and Liquors (973/334-6824).
2005 Quinta Do Moluro—Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês, Touriga Nacional, Cabernet Sauvignon. It retails for about $70. Imported by TRI Vin Importers (914/664-3155).