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ALENTEJO
Alentejo is one of the biggest wine regions in Portugal. This hot and dry region is made up of wide plains, only interrupted by small mountains. Alentejo has benefited from numerous investments in the wine sector, which enabled the region to produce some of the best Portuguese wines and, therefore, gain international recognition.
Located in the south of Portugal, Alentejo is a sunny region, allowing the perfect ripening of the grapes. As temperatures are very high in the summer, the vine has to be irrigated.
The region is mainly made up of plains, though Portalegre suffers the influence of the São Mamede mountain range. The vines are planted on the steep slopes of the mountain or in very heterogeneous soils of clay, granite, limestone or schist. However, these are not very fertile.
There are several grape varieties in Alentejo; however, some are more relevant than others (whether because of quality or planted area). The most important white grape varieties in the region are Roupeiro, Antão Vaz and Arinto. The red grape varieties Trincadeira, Aragonez, Castelão and Alicante Bouschet (a French variety that adapted itself to Alentejo’s climate) are also important.
White wines from Alentejo DOC are usually soft, slightly acidic, with tropical fruit aromas. Red wines are full bodied, rich in tannins and with aromas of wild and red fruit.
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