Millennia-old traditions and cutting-edge start-ups: Portuguese viticulture is a fascinating balancing act of extremes. Similar to Eastern Europe, the sector was blocked for many decades in the 20th century by political paralysis. Today there is a lot of movement, not least due to investors from abroad. Each of the seven stops on this trip offered more than just remarkable wines.
Ode Winery
For a long time, the Tejo region to the north-west of Lisbon was rather notorious. For example, the Cartoxo sub-zone in the fertile alluvial plain of the Tejo River mainly produced simple drinking wines from large co-operatives. This changed in the nineties. In 2000, Vale D’Algares was created in an old winery dating back to 1902 and became an ambitious flagship. However, it did not survive the financial crisis and had to close in 2014. In 2021, the estate, which had only been extensively renovated in 2007, was taken over by Australian investors and renovated again. In addition to the Ode Winery with its 96 hectares, the property also includes a ‘Farm&Living’ area, which comprises agricultural land, a restaurant and a planned luxury hotel complex. The work is certified sustainable and has been organic since 2021. The motto is ‘minimal invention, maximum attention’. The project is managed on site by Jim Cawood. Maria Vicente, a regional winemaker, is responsible for production. Both local grape varieties such as Fernão Pires and Touriga Nacional and international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon are planted.
The cellar is very impressive. It starts with 12 huge 75-hectolitre oak fermentation vats, continues with the barrique cellar and ends with the stylish tasting room. It is a mix of modernity and tradition. In addition to two lagares, the stone fermentation tanks, there are also concrete eggs and large clay jugs, the talhas. During the tasting, we realise that the diversity of oenological methods is intended to give the different grape varieties their best possible expression. 12 cuvées are produced, including single-varietal white wines from Arinto, Fernão Pires, Alvarinho, Sémillion and Viognier. Touriga Nacional dominates the red wines. A wine from the Alicante Bouschet is produced in clay amphorae. The most impressive is the white Enóloga 2022, which stands for the experiment of an annually changing top cuvée. The 2022 was a blend of the three best Fernão Pires and Arinto barrels that did not undergo malolactic fermentation. Sparkling wines, an Aguardente and an Oloroso-style fortified wine matured under flor are in preparation.
Quinta do Paral
The flourishing of Quinta do Paral in the southern Alentejo is also due to the initiative of investors. This estate too has a long tradition and was once used by the Count of Palma for cattle breeding. Joao Alexandre Xabregas last produced wine here under the name Hacienda Branca. Dieter Morszeck, ex-president and grandson of the Rimowa founder, bought the estate in 2017. Inspired by a small proportion of particularly old vines, he bought additional plots in the region. Today, he owns a good 15 of the 23 hectares of Vinhas Velhas with vines over 65 years old in the Alentejo subzone of Vidigueira. These are mainly located on granite, while a further 25 hectares of vineyards grow mainly on slate soils at the foot of the ‘Serra do Mendro’. Here, too, there is a mix of local and international vines: White mainly the Antão Vaz variety as well as Perrum (a variety of Palomino), but also Chardonnay. Red, in particular Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The white and red wines that I tasted (all DOC Alentejo-Vidigueira) followed the same logic. The tasting started with an estate wine, followed by Superior, Reserva and finally Vinhas Velhas. The simpler wines are particularly impressive among the whites. The Reserva – a cuvée of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc (!) – has clearly seen too much wood. And the grapes for the Vinhas Velhas were harvested too ripe, so that although the wine is powerful, it is low in acidity and lacks tension. During the visit to the cellar, it was clear that no expense had been spared. However, some of the wines appear forced. Even the red Vinhas Velhas, with its 15.5 per cent alcohol, does not appear balanced. In contrast, the Vinho de Talha 2022, which is aged in clay amphorae, is elegant and almost refined. The highlight, however, is the Condessa 1703. This 35-year-old Vinho Licoroso Alentejano, which is similar to a port wine, has an extraordinary complexity and is reminiscent of the region’s great sweet wine heritage.
Heredade do Rocim
Just a few kilometres away, but already within the boundaries of the municipality of Cuba, lies the Heredade do Rocim vineyard. Here, in the southern Baixo Alentejo, it can get very hot during the day, but a breeze from the Atlantic provides cooling at night. Viticulture was also practised here in the past – under the name Vale do Rocim. And here, too, an investor has awoken viticulture from its slumber, albeit a local one. In 2000, the industrial and media conglomerate Movicortes, controlled by José Ribeiro Vieira, took over the estate and built up the current winery in several stages. After Ribeiro Vieira’s death, his daughter Catarina took over the management together with her partner Pédro, both oenologists by training. Today, 70 of the estate’s 120 hectares are planted with vines. The aim is to produce lively, terroir-emphasised wines with little intervention. For several years now, the globally recognised ‘Amphora Wine Day’ has been held here in November.
Rocim has undergone very dynamic development in recent years, with the result that the project now extends far beyond the Alentejo. Vale da Mata stands for wines from Leiria, the region of origin of the Ribeiro family, Raio and Bela de Luz for wines from the Duoro. There are also numerous co-operations with winegrowers from the Azores to Madeira. One highlight: the salty, multi-layered amphora Verdelho A Meias 2022 (with Barbeito). But the Alentejo portfolio has also been greatly expanded and perhaps even overstretched. There are numerous individual lines – including three from the amphora – and a whole series of high-end cuvées that stand on their own. I was unable to taste either these top wines or the basic lines. In any case, the ‘midfield’ ranges from fairly average concept wines Nat’Cool to the remarkable white-red duo Clay Aged. The single-vineyard Reserve Olho de Mocho from 2022, made from Alicante Bouschet and Trincadeira, is also impressive. Of course, the Grande Rocim, Vinha da Micaela and Crónica #328 reserves stand above this.
Quinta dos Carvalhais
Compared to the ‘universe of Rocim’, Sogrape’s portfolio looks like a supermarket compared to a corner shop. Portugal’s largest wine group emerged from the creation of Mateus Rosé in 1942. Today, it owns 20 brands on four continents, including the port wine house Sandemann and LAN in Rioja. For a long time, the company has also sourced grapes from the Dão region in the north-west of the country. Dão, which is considered the cradle of Touriga Nacional, was awarded the first DO for non-fortified wines in Portugal in 1908. However, a co-operative monopoly prevented any private initiative for decades. This only changed after Portugal joined the EU. With the acquisition of the Quinta dos Carvalhais in 1988, Sogrape became a pioneer of Dão quality wine production. Situated close to the town of Magualde, the climate here is temperate. The vineyards lie like a cauldron on the granite subsoil of a plateau up to 700 metres above sea level. The surrounding mountain ranges protect them from the hot wines from the centre of Spain.
Under the management of Beatriz Cabral de Almeida since 2012, the winery is also endeavouring to exploit the potential of white grape varieties. Formerly only a good 3 per cent planted in Dão, today it is a good 40 per cent. On the 45 hectares of vineyards at Carvalhais, the figure is as high as 61 per cent. The main focus is on Encruzado, the crown jewel of the local grape varieties. During an excursion to the vineyards – the only one during the entire Portugal tour – it becomes clear how much care is taken here. For example, in the selection of clones and conscious mixture or the system of own weather stations to minimise vine diseases.
The tasting also included wines from Casa Ferreirinha (Douro; fine, almost Burgundian Quinta da Leda 2021) and Herdade do Peso (Alentejo; refined and structured: Parcelas 2019). Of course, four Dãos take centre stage. A single-varietal Encruzado 2022 (pure, concentrated, fresh) and the complex Reserva Branco 2021 (75% Encruzado, 25% Gouveio). These were followed by a powerful single-varietal Touriga Nacional and a spicy Cuvée Reserva Tinto (both 2020). Unfortunately, the Branco Especial and Único Tinto were not presented.
Quevedo
The Duoro Valley is without doubt the most spectacular vineyard landscape in Portugal. Here, in the heart of port wine cultivation, we also encounter the first long-established family of wine estate owners. The Quevedos have been winemakers in the Alto Duoro for five generations. But not only on the paternal side, but also on the maternal side, through which the Quinta da Alegria, for example, came into the family’s possession. Today, Claudia Quevedo is primarily responsible for port wine production. Her brother Oscar Junior, on the other hand, is in charge of worldwide sales, with exports accounting for 95 per cent. Five different quintas together make up the vineyard area of a good 100 hectares. As is customary with port wine, the different origins are usually blended. In any case, the production centre is located in the Quinta Senhora do Rosário near S. João de Pesqueira, the oldest recognised municipality in Portugal. The Quinta Vale d’Agodinho in the Ferradosa Valley a little upstream forms the centrepiece of the Vintage Port production with its 18 hectares, almost 14 of which are planted as field blend.
Even though the family’s viticulture dates back to 1889, Quevedo has only been bottling under its own name since 1993. This was due to EU entry and the liberalisation of port wine production, which until then had to be shipped to Porto. Today, the winery produces a number of classic still wine lines. For example, the entry-level wines Oscar’s (white/red/rosé, as well as white and red as organic wines). Claudia’s Reserve (also white and red) is a selection of the best grapes from all the quintas. Q Grande Reserva white and red is then enthroned above this – alongside this there is a Q-Lab wine every year, in this case a rare Folgasão 2022. This is all produced with a great deal of expertise and stylistically appealing. But it doesn’t reach the fantastic quality of the port wines. A highlight of the whole trip were the barrel tastings, such as the Colheitas (i.e. vintage tawnies) from 2009, 1995 and finally 1973 (from the bottle). A 50-year-old white port, also from the barrel, was unforgettable. Simply marvellous!
Soalheiro
The route to Soalheiro on the Minho River in northern Portugal leads along Spanish roads. This says a lot about the inaccessibility of this border region. The village of Melgaço belongs to the Vinho Verde region, more precisely to its most interesting sub-zone, Monção e Melgaço, with Melgaço being its eastern part. In 1974, João António Cerdeira and his family planted the first contiguous Alvarinho vineyard here, the ‘sunny site’ Soalheiro. Eight years later, he founded the winery named after it. He sources his vines from countless small and part-time winegrowers in the region. The 200 members are organised as an association like a ‘club’ – and receive good prices for their grapes. Today, the business is run by the third generation of the family, siblings Maria João and António Luís. The sister is responsible for viticulture and the brother for oenology. As much as Soalheiro is rooted in the tradition of the region, it is also an unrelenting engine of innovation, with radiance for the whole of Portugal.
Of course, this applies initially to vineyard management (certified organic as early as 2006) and sustainable and socially responsible production. Numerous pioneering bottlings have been initiated for Alvarinho. These include the first sparkling wine (1995), the planting of mountain vineyards up to 1,100 metres above sea level and grape variety cuvées (for example with Loureiro). But there are also low-alcohol wines and, finally, experimental cuvées from the ‘Innovation Centre’ such as the Georgian-inspired Ag.hora wines. The Espumante Bruto Nature is very soft and has an aroma reminiscent of baked apples. Here I prefer the excellent classic Bruto. Granit 2023 from high-altitude vineyards is intense and lively. The Primeiras Vinhas from the same year from old vineyards is even a complex and elegant Grand Vin Blanc. Revirado 2021 from the Cave da Inovação fermented with indigenous yeasts in rotating barrels, but the almost whipped cream texture was a little ‘too much’ for me. At the end of the meal, an Alvarinho Clássico from 2007 was decanted – showing the grape variety’s excellent ageing potential.
Quinta da Aveleda
Wine was first produced in 1870 on the scenic Quinta da Aveleda, which is still owned by the Guedes family today. The winery only became important after 1936 when the French winemaker Eugène Héllisse paid a chance visit. Having become aware of the vineyards from the train, he offered his help. He was allowed to experiment in a parcel with the Casal Garcia vineyard before inventing the Vinho Verde cuvée named after it in 1939. Today a Portuguese export hit, the wine is exported to 80 countries. As with Soalheiro, the wine is produced as part of a winegrowers’ club in addition to the 160 hectares of vineyards owned by the family. Three years later, another branch of the Guedes family created Mateus Rosé and founded Sogrape (see above). In the late 1990s, the company embarked on a course of expansion with the acquisition of numerous wineries. Today, the winery is active in five different regions, in addition to Vinho Verde also in Duoro, Bairrada, Algarve and Lisboa.
Aveleda’s wines are mostly made for easy drinking. However, the Alvarinho Solos de Xisto 2022 from slate soils is precise and yet juicy. Unfortunately, the counterpart de Granito was not available. Neither was the Parcela do Roseiral or the Cuvée Manoel Pedro Guedes, the estate’s top wines. Various red wines from Vale D. Maria were presented at dinner (no single vineyards), and the Quinta wine from 60-year-old Vinhas Velhas left an impression. I was more enthusiastic about the estate’s brandies than Aveleda’s wine program. By chance, we were able to visit the impressive warehouse from 1885, which holds 280 barrels. The estate has been producing brandies under the name Adega Velha da Quinta da Aveleda for more than 50 years. This makes them one of the oldest producers in Portugal. The repertoire of 6, 12 and 30-year-old Aguardentes is good to excellent. One tip is the Dúplo Estagio 13 Anos, which has been finished in port wine barrels.
Post scriptum: Reynolds, Quinta da Vineadouro, Secret Spot Wines and Anselmo Mendes
On this tour, the wines of selected guests were presented alongside the wines of the hosts at some of the stops. As these were often remarkable wines, all of which have their very own story and were presented with a great deal of passion and charm, I would like to at least briefly mention them. In the remote Douro Superior, the Correia de Lacerda family produces individual wines from regional mixed grapes on the 4 hectares of their Quinta da Vineadouro. The white Special Edition, for example, whose blend is dominated by the Rabigato, Gouveio and Síria grape varieties, is highly recommended.
The British-origin Reynolds family founded the Portuguese cork industry in the 19th century. As winegrowers, they introduced Alicante Bouschet to Portugal. High up in the Alentejo on the border with Spain, they now produce classic, tannic wines from this grape. Great-grandson Carlos Reynolds, for example, presented the impressive Grande Reserva 2016 and Gloria Reynolds 2014. Secret Spot Wines is a winegrower and micro-négociant in Favaios/Duoro that was founded in 2004. In addition to the still wine line Lacrau, it specializes in the Moscatel Galego grape variety, which it bottles dry, but also sweet and fortified. A monument is the Very Old Moscatel do Douro 40 Anos. The Anselmo Mendes winery from the neighboring region of Monção was a guest at Soalheiro. With the Parcela Única 2021, it presented a single-vineyard Alvarinho that is surprisingly not available from Soalheiro: salty, concentrated and with crisp acidity thanks to blocked malo.
Image rights
Stefan Pegatzky / Time Tunnel Images
Feature photo: View of the Rio Tedo, a tributary of the Duoro, from the Vila Galé Douro Vineyards hotel
The trip was organised by Wines of Portugal and Organize Communication.
