Choosing wines from Alentejo, Portugal

After a wonderful trip in Alentejo discovering wineries including the Cartuxa Adega  that produces the wonderful Péra Manca Tinto and Herdade do Monte Novo e Figueirinha, where I  tasted some wonderful examples of touriga nacional including the delicious Fonte Mouro Reserva 2011, as well as visiting the Vinipax wine fair, I discovered that Portugal’s Alentejo region has some real corkers.

Of course, the best way of sampling them is to go there, but if you want the Alentejo to come to you, here are some great wines to try at home.

Alentejo

paisagem©TVB

Courtesy of Turismo Alentejo

 

Styles of wine

Red

Traditionally, the red wines from Alentejo are made from indigenous grapes and are complex and robust, full of fruit with a smattering of earthly flavours. 

The more modern ones tend to resemble in character wines from the New World, bursting with plenty of jammy, intense fruity flavours. Grapes such as cabernet sauvignon and syrah are now being blended with local varieties producing some impressive full-bodied wines. The wines from this region are now up there with the best of French, Spanish and Italian tipples.

Wines to try in the UK

Dom Rafael Tinto, Herdade Do Mouchâo, 2010 Alentejo, £11.75 Berry Bros. & Rudd www.bbr.com

Oozing damsons and blackberries with a savoury finish. A great wine for winter.

Esporão Reserva Tinto, 2010, Alentejo, £19.99, Selfridges
Made from the Alentejo DOC grape varieties, this classic wines has wonderful flavours of blueberries and blackcurrants with a hint of pepper. A most enjoyable wine.

Vinha do Monte 2011 Alentejano Tinto, Alentejo, £8.99, majestic.co.uk
From the Herdade do Peso estate, this typical Portuguese blend has lovely fruity aromas, and tastes reminiscent of plums and mulberries with a hint of spice on the finish. 

Cortes de Cima Syrah, 2010, Alentejo, £11.49, waitrosedirect.com
A wonderful example of a modern wine made entirely from syrah. Laced with black fruit, this is deliciously rich and spicy. 

Grous Moon Harvested red, 2011, £30.99, Carruthers &Kent Wine Shop, Newcastle, Luso Trading Wine Shop, London, The Wine Chambers Wine Shop, Tynemouth, Gullane Deli, Gullane, Scotland
Made from 100 per cent alicante bouschet. The grapes are hand-picked in “in the cycle of greater influence by the moon in the sap transport”. This complex full-bodied wine with aromas of deep fruit and subtle hints of oak is superbly silky on the palette. 

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

TAP Portugal (0845 601 0932, www.flytap.com) flies from Manchester, London Heathrow and Gatwick to Lisbon up to 9 times a day. Return fares start at £116 including all taxes and surcharges. I’m a fan of this airline. A friendly crew that delivers good service

I stayed at the Pousada de São Francisco, Beja, Largo D. Nuno Álvares Pereira
7801-901, Beja, tel: (+351) 284 313 580
Double rooms including breakfast from €90
For more info and special promotional rates visit www.pousadas.pt
Where history and the present collide. Staying here is a wonderful experience

For more info on Alentejo visit Turismo do Alentejo, www.visitalentejo.pt/en

For more info on Portugal visit visitportugal.com/en