EXPLORING THE HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF PORTUGAL’S MOST SIGNIFICANT WINE REGION
by Michael Biddick
While strolling through the cobblestone streets of Lisbon to navigate its many wine bars, it’s hard not to spot wine from the Portuguese region of Alentejo. Outside the country, however, the mention of Alentejo will conjure blank expressions among even the most avid wine enthusiasts.
Alentejo’s border lies just a 90-minute drive east of Lisbon, and despite its relative obscurity, this highly diverse region covers roughly a third of Portugal. When the Romans arrived in the area in 180 B.C., wine had already been part of the culture for almost 200 years, as it was perhaps brought to the peninsula by the ancient Tartessian civilization. Both the Phoenicians and the Greeks embraced winemaking in Alentejo as they expanded winegrowing and trade throughout the region.
It was the Romans, however, who instituted winemaking techniques that have persisted in Alentejo for more than 2,000 years. Before stainless steel, fiberglass, or even oak, clay amphorae called talhas (pronounced tal-yas) were used to ferment and age wine. Ancient winemakers buried these vessels for safety in case they exploded, but today they’re often placed upright alongside more modern vessels made from oak, stainless steel, or concrete.
At the bottom of the talha remains a cork stopper known as a batoque (bat-oh-kay) and after the added grape skins, pulp, and stems form a blanket over the wine inside, the winemakers will push this cap down several times daily to add more color, texture, and complexity to the juice. Once fermentation is complete, these particles eventually settle on the bottom of the talha after one to two weeks, and the juice is traditionally left in contact with them for several more weeks.
Given the porous nature of the vessels and additional oxygenation, the wine develops nuanced flavor profiles that are harder to achieve with other containers. The wine can be served directly from the amphorae through a spout or racked and bottled, but some modern wineries use the vessels solely for fermentation and aging before transferring the wine to stainless-steel tanks or straight to the bottling process.
Evading Stereotype
While talhas play a significant role in Alentejo’s winemaking history, they hardly define it. Modern winemaking has firmly taken hold in the area as Alentejo distinguishes itself as the most significant Por-tuguese region for domestic and export wine production.
It can be difficult to discuss Alentejo in a general sense, as the sheer variety of grapes, terroir, and winemaking techniques help this region evade stereotype. A range of soils, including schist, granite, marble, limestone, and clay, are all common throughout the region.
The Alentejo DOP consists of eight distinct subzones at varying elevations: Moura, Granja-Amareleja, Évora, Vidigueira, Reguengos, Redondo, Borba, and Portalegre. Évora may be the best known, but two areas worthy of special acclaim are Vidigueira and Portalegre. The latter, with its focus on red wine, is situated on the cooler granite slopes of the Serra de São Mamede mountains in the northernmost part of the region. Portalegre vineyards—at altitudes as high as 2,000 feet above sea level and with soil profiles comprising granite, schist, and quartz—endure scorching, dry summers and cold, brutal winters, producing wines deeply influenced by the extreme climate. Common red grape varieties in Portalegre include Aragonez, Trincadeira, and Alicante Bouschet, while producer Adega Mayor distinguishes itself as a must-see destination.
With its maritime influence, the Vidigueira subregion produces aromatic whites with strong tropical flavors. The cooperative there places great emphasis on its eponymous grape, also known as Antão Vaz. Cortes de Cima, Herdade do Rocim, and Herdade do Sobroso stand out as the premier local producers.
Within the Alentejo DOP, red grapes authorized for winemaking include Alfrocheiro Preto, Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez (Tinta Roriz), Cabernet Sauvignon, Castelão (Periquita), Syrah, Touriga Nacional, and Trincadeira (Tinta Amarela). Meanwhile, Antão Vaz, Arinto (Pedernã), Fernão-Pires (Maria Gomes), Manteúdo, Perrum, Rabo de de Ovelha, Tamarez, and Trincadeira das Pratas spawn the majority of white wine produced there.
In terms of pairing these wines with local cuisine, Alentejo’s vast array of culinary options, including local delights like pata negra and freshly caught fish, ranks among the best in Europe. The gastronomic culture in Alentejo is not unlike the winemaking: a blend of historical tradition and modern innovation for every taste and price point. Upscale cuisine at Dom Joaquim, Origens, and Degust’Ar can be found alongside tiny, local, and experiential establishments like Botequim da Mouraria and Restaurante O Templo.
Alentejo is one of Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein’s go-to Portuguese regions. “The Alentejo is a metaphor for everything right concerning modern Portuguese wine—exciting indigenous grapes, delicious blends, a region utilizing both contemporary and traditional techniques, and bottles that are extraordinarily food-friendly.”
While France, Spain, and Italy dominate the conversation when it comes to European wine, sommeliers who seek out Alentejo wines for their programs will directly benefit from the storied history of winemaking that makes this region so special.
