Brought to You by the Letter ‘A’ (An Alentejo Masterclass with Master the World)

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At this point, I’ve got a longer history with Portugal’s Alentejo than most wine wine writer type peeps (and I might be the only person to ever wave the mighty Terrible Towel from Esporao’s iconic tower), so it was fun to catch up on some of the latest from the region with Master Sommelier (and friend of 1WD) Evan Goldstein when he recently (ok, almost six months ago) hosted a virtual tasting event focusing on the “As” of the region (that will make more sense in a minute or two).

Since you can peruse these virtual pages for a metric crap-ton of information about Alentejo, I’ll give you a brief update on some of the latest figures that Evan’s team shared with us before we got to opening up bottles.

Alentejo means “Behind the Tagus (river),” and it’s located in southern Portugal, covering 30% of the country’s land mass (but only housing about 1/10th of its population). It’s got at least 4,000 years of winemaking history under its belt across its 8 subregions, though it’s only about the size of Massachusetts (or Belgium, for those more Euro-centric among you). About 80% of its wine production is red and, as of 2022, the area sports 250 producers (up from just 45 back in 1995).

Speaking of 2022, Alentejo sold 120 million bottles that year, with personal-best bottle values and setting a new record for sales of its Vinho de Talha wines (those made in amphora, which has a long production history in the area), which hit a 30% increase. An interesting factoid: Alentejo is a home-crowed fave, being the #1 Portuguese wine region in terms of domestic sales, but is responsible for just 18% value of Portuguese wine exports.

This region is hot and getting hotter, but as you’ll see as we traverse the ‘As‘, it’s wines are showing more balance than ever before…

2022 Herdade da Malhadinha Nova Antao Vaz da Malhadinha, Alentejo, $30

Our first A is for Antão Vaz, a variety that’s mostly unique to Alentejo, comprising a mere 1% of all plantings in Portugal, but is one of Alentejo’s most important (with most plantings being found in Reguengos and Vidigueira). Stone fruits, hints of just-ripe tropical fruits, nuts (cashews), and citrus peel leap out of the glass here. There’s nice freshness, but its the silky, creamy texture that really stands out. Great balance, with lovely minerality undercutting the stone fruit flavors.

2021 Quinta da Fonte Souto Branco, Alentejo, $29

Our next A is for Altitude, as this white hails from Portalegre in the northernmost part of Alentejo, as well as the higher elevations of Vidigueira to the south. Due to the impacts of climate change, Alentejo producers are seeking out higher elevations for new planting, (which also has the benefits of more ultraviolet light exposure, promoting both thicker skins and more concentration). I’ve been a longtime fan of this wine (and this producer in general). A blend of 75% Arinto and 25% Verdelho planted arund 1,600 feet, this is heady, floral, and perfumed to start. Fantastic ripe citrus aromas and flavors are showcased, along with hints of citrus pith. Stony, with bruised apples, lots of concentrated citrus and yellow apple fruit flavor, it’s bright, intense, and vibrant, long and lovely.

2017 Jose Maria da Fonseca ‘Jose de Sousa’, Alentejano, $19

This red represents Amphora/ Talha; aside from the Republic of Georgia, Alentejo is the only region worldwide with an unbroken tradition of amphora winemaking dating back over 2,000 years (I was able to get an inside look at this producer’s talha-heavy operation, literally). Made from 58% Grand Noir, 22% Trincadeira, and 20% Arragonez, it has oxidative hints from its time in clay, with stewed dark plummy fruits, savory elements, some prune action, and dried black cherries. There are similar flavors on the palate, which also sports smoky tobacco, leather, game, and some heat. Chewy, with black and red currant fruit flavors, this red has some serious muscle.

2021 Fitapreta Tinto, Alentejo, $27

This A? For Alentejo Blending (admittedly, they were stretching). Portuguese producers in general, and Alentejo producers in particular, are masters of the blend, and this red combines Aragones, Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira, and Castelao. A modern take on Alentejo’s textbook style, it spends 7 months in new French and Central European oak (50%). Dark, fruity, savory, concentrated, leathery, and precise, it’s polished but is also raging in its acidity, game notes, and power. BOOM!!

2018 Herdade de Sao Miguel Colheita Seleccionada, Alentejo, $16

The focus here was on Activism: Wines of Alentejo has spearheaded an internationally recognized Sustainability Program (called WASP), which has established the region among the world’s most progressive where sustainable winemaking is concerned. There are 100+ criteria in the primary intervention chapters, and 60+ in the secondary, so it’s not a lip-service certification (and they are working on adopting version 2). 1 of every 3 Alentejo wines are produced under WASP according to Master the World. This blend of Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon is showy in all the good ways: leather, dried herbs, dried violets, sour black cherry, stewed red and blue plums, and a bold, silky, fleshy, plummy mouthfeel. Tasty stuff.

2021 Herdade do Rocim Alicante Bouschet, Alentejo, $23

Finally, we’ve got Alicante Bouschet on its own, the region’s flagship red wine variety, comprising just 2% of Portugal’s plantings but 20% of Alentejo’s (making it the region’s #2 red grape variety). I’ve visited Rocim, so it was nice to get an updated taste of their wares. Meat, smoke, licorice, pepper, iodine, leather, black cherry, this is spot-on for AB, and it’s deep, deep, DEEP. Tons of juicy black cherry fruit, dark/dried herb tinges, soy sauce, and it’s all presented in a fresh, savory and demanding package. It needs meat to tame it now, but it’s also a meaty mouthful just on its own.

Cheers!

Source : https://www.1winedude.com/brought-to-you-by-the-letter-a-an-alentejo-masterclass-with-master-the-world/