Alentejo
The Alentejo wine region is a large, peaceful and quiet area in Portugal.
When you are in this region you regularly see a vineyard, but it does not have the appearance that it is a special wine region. Nevertheless, considerable investments have been made in this region in recent years. There are various winemakers to get started to breathe new life into this forgotten region. Two thirds of the wines made in Alentejo are red and one third is white.
Grapes
The great thing about Portugal is that there are many native grape varieties. Most wines are made from Aragonez (the Tempranillo), Trincadeira and Castelão. In addition, wine is also made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Although there is more red wine from Alentejo, beautiful white wines are also made. These are produced from several native grapes such as the Arinto, Perrum, Antão Vaz and Roupeiro.
In the vineyard
Managing a vineyard in Alentejo is a challenge. It can get hot there. 40 ° C is no exception in the summer. The bottoms of the vineyards contain granite, slate and quartz. It is clear that water is scarce. It means that the grapes must be resistant to this. The grapes usually have thicker skins and the juice is concentrated. In addition, harvesting takes place earlier in this region than in the rest of Europe. The grapes are beautifully ripe in August.