José de Sousa Mayor 2008

17 / 20

Producer: José Maria da Fonseca

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

A blend containing 65% of Grand Noir (a bit unusual) from Reguengos de Monsaraz, this is a really good Alentejo red from one of the biggest wine making companies in Portugal. Jammy red and black fruits on the nose, with some oak and vanilla notes. There's also a scent of raisins and dried plums, hinting at a very gracious and poised evolution.

Beautifully balanced in the palate, still showing a lot of youth with a good deal of acidity and some tense, lively tannins. Wild red berries dominate the palate, elegantly mixed with toast notes. Takes a while to open up, but after 20 minutes or so in the glass, it reveals its full breadth, textured and complex.

Really good Alentejo.

Herdade do Esporão Syrah 2008

17 / 20

Producer: Herdade do Esporão

Region:Alentejo

Country:Portugal

Part of this year's reconciliation with Syrahs from Alentejo, supported by a great 2-week vacation there, this varietal from the Herdade do Esporão (great wine tourism spot and a lovey restaurant by the way) is a great example of what this grape type can offer in the Alentejo.

Strongly scented, intense and concentrated blackberries predominate in the nose, with oakier notes, some smoke and a hint of tobacco leaves.

Follows suit in the palate, showing a strong, full body where intense black fruit is balanced by an excelent acidity. The round and velvety tannins add complexity and layers to the wine's structure and presence, resulting in a very fulfilling, delightful taste that ends long and persistent - albeit the alcohol feel is maybe a bit too strong.

It's still a very young and powerful wine, so you can definitely wait for it a couple more years. If not, match with strongly flavored foods - went great with a pot-roast pheasant with apples.

Tapada de Coelheiros Chardonnay 2009

16.5 / 20

Producer: Herdade de Coelheiros

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

I tasted the previous vintage of this wine a couple of years ago and I remember not being particularly impressed. I felt it was a nice wine, but not remarkable - although I can see from the taste note that this wasn't a typical heavy, oaky and buttery chardonnay.

This vintage seems to be a notch up - the wine style brings to mind the drier Chardonnays from Bourgogne, not Chablis but almost there. Green apples in the nose, some dried almonds and a slight vegetable background, which are later complemented by a mineral, chalky scent.

Very interesting in the palate, with a fresh, crispy acidity and a remarkable dryness, leaving a mineral, chalky feel in the mouth. This is a very elegant wine, with the fruit notes (mainly green apples) mixing with some citrus and the mentioned mineral notes to make a very composed wine that has a lot of structure without relying in the usual oak, buttery excesses.

As it breathes and is exposed to air, this starts to gain some of the heavier Chardonnay notes, boiled apples and pears coming to the front, along with some heavier oak notes - so it loses some of that mineral, chalkier feel and starts feeling like a more new world Chardonnay.

Herdade do Peso Reserva 2004

17/ 20

Producer: Herdade do Peso - Sogrape

Region:Alentejo

Country:Portugal

A very elegant wine in the nose, showing nice jammy fruit notes, a minty/eucalyptus feel in the background and some discreet evolution notes, the slighest note of leather creeping up here and there, contributing to a very intriguing bouquet.

Very alive in the palate, with the typical Alentejo jammier fruit notes very well integrated with the oak backed by a still very fresh acidity. Structured but not heavy, velvety, round tannins permeate the taste that finishes long, elegant and very balanced.

It will still live for a couple of years at least, but right now it's an extremely pleasurable, rewarding wine.

Casas Brancas Reserva 2009

15.5 / 20

Producer: Parras

Region:Alentejo

Country:Portugal

Intense and jammy in the nose, with lots of ripe fruits playing around in the glass, backed by soft oak notes and a more vegetable (probably the Trincadeira coming along), flowery side.

Feels very soft in the palate, showing some vegetable notes amidst the focused ripe fruits. A nice acidity matched by velvety, rounded tannins.

Good balanced ending, not long but showing lots of fruits. A wine made to be enjoyed with food.

Aldeias de Juromenha Touriga Nacional 2008

15.5 / 20

Producer: Herdade das Aldeias

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Bright ruby, the nose is very intense with some flowery notes and lots of ripe, almost jammy red fruits. The bouquet as a whole feels somewhat unvaried, very focused on these jammy notes.

Soft in the palate, with very velvety tannins and a round feel to its half-body structure, this is an enjoyable wine with lots of sweet, ripe blackberries notes.

For my taste, this is a couple of notches below the Syrah these guys make - this Touriga felt a bit out of character. But again, I tend to prefer Tourigas from the Douro or the Dão.

Aldeias de Juromenha Verdelho 2011

15 / 20

Producer: Herdade das Aldeias

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Very clear to the eye, this verdelho from near Elvas starts by reminding me of dried fruits, almonds and nuts, which is kind of surprising since I was expecting a much more fruit-forward wine. There's some tropical fruit in there, but it seems to be hiding in the background.

Soft fruit notes appear as the wine fills the mouth, to be replaced mid-length by some pleasant, bitter, lemony notes. Again, the same notes of almonds and nuts are lurking around, giving this an edge. As it heats up, some shy pineapple starts to appear in the back of the mouth.

Very pleasant by itself, but its light structure doesn't stand up to food, even a lightly seared perch fillet.

Blog 2009

17.5 / 20

Producer: Tiago Cabaço

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

This is the top wine for a young winemaker from Estremoz, Alentejo - and Susana Estéban, of Crasto and Solar dos Lobos fame. I tasted the 07 (or 08) vintage a couple of years ago and was not very impressed, feeling its quality did not match up to its price - something which was inverted in the othe brands, .com and .beb that had a really good quality/price ratio.

Since this 09 gained a lot of attention, being declared the best 2009 Alentejo wine in some places, I decided to try it again. And I'm glad I did!

Deep purple in the glass, it's very intense in the nose. Not a classical Alentejo, but somehow managing to take that classical side and turn it into something modern and vibrant all along. The Alicante Bouschet is front stage at first with olives showing up, a hint of spices and some meaty black fruit. As it breathes, the Syrah joins in, again showing some vibrant black fruit in a sweeter perspective, almost jammy. But always feeling very balanced and poised.

Feels very elegant in the mouth, although it definitely is a very sructured, full bodied wine. The raspberries come more to the foreground in the palate than in the nose, very well backed up by a fresh acidity and a layer of velvety tannins handing out even more structure to the wine. Finish is long and intense.

Paired marveously with a lamb coated with honey and rosemary, a regional recipe from a top restaurant in Estremoz.

Montado 2010

14.5 / 20

Producer: José Maria da Fonseca

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Clear ruby in the glass, the nose is composed mainly by red fruits and a light cellar/winery scent.

Feels very soft in the palate, with a decent amount of red fruits. Lightly structured, the balanced acidity and light tannins clearly say this is a wine made to be enjoyed young. On first taste, the ending brought out some marked alcohol notes but these are hardly noticeable when paired with food.

One for the everyday meal.

Aldeias de Juromenha Reserva Syrah 2008

16.0 / 20

Producer: Herdade das Aldeias

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Open ruby, the nose is all about berries, blackberries and raspberries, at times coming into the jammy side, but keeping things controlled and balanced. A background of spices/oak keeps it interesting and inviting.

Round, inviting taste with a nicely tuned, average structured body with smooth, velvety tannins and a balanced acidity. Lots of blacberries in the palate again, showcasing the warmth of the Alentejo, it finishes smooth and long.

Tasted on 2012-09-19

CARMIM Alicante Bouschet 2009

15.5 / 20

Producer: CARMIM

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Dark ruby, showing meaty and ripe, almost jammy red fruit along with a hint of olives in the well balanced bouquet, supported by nice oaky notes.

In the palate, the vegetable/olive notes come up again, mingled with just the right amount of fruit and a touch of oak. Round, balanced and ready to drink, it has a medium length and finishes with notes of mulberries and jam.

Tasted on 2012-09-13

Symmetria Best 2006

16.5 / 20

Producer: Paulo Laureano

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Deeply purple to the eye, the nose on this Alentejo is intense, showing lots of ripe red fruits, some dried plums and raisins and a nice touch of oaky notes.

Good structure on the palate, again showing in first impact some dried fruits that later open to some red fruit. This is matched by cocoa and toast notes from the oak and a good, refreshing acidity.

Lively, very present tannins provide this with an added structure and give it a good presence in the palate, finishing long.

Tasted on 2012-09-04

Reguengos Garrafeira dos Sócios 2004

16.5 / 20

Producer: CARMIM

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

A classic Alentejo, this is the top brand from CARMIM, in Reguengos de Monsaraz. Lively garnet in the glass, the nose is really inviting with a lot of spices, some oak notes in the shape of cocoa and some vanilla and a decent amount of dried plums and raisins that hint at its age but are extremely enjoyable.

Very balanced, almost delicate in the glass at first, although it still manages to show a good deal of complexity in a body that is very marked by spices and dried plums and raisins. Some ripe red fruits also appear in the background. Remarkable for its balance and elegance, this is a very gastronomical wine that will pair with a lot of different dishes. Long, composed finish again highlights the wine's balance

and elegance.

Paired very well with a roast rabbit, the smoothness and delicacy of the meat flavor matching the elegance of the wine step by step.

Tasted on 2012-09-03

Aldeias da Juromenha Reserva 2007

16.0 / 20

Producer: Herdade das Aldeias

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

From near Elvas, in the Alto Alentejo, this ruby-colored reserva has a distinctive Alentejo bouquet, warm and fruit-forward, with nice red fruit notes with a clear acid side along wih oak.

Very inviting in the palate, rounded and with a nice balance between fruit and oak, it shows some quality red fruit, with just the right amount of acidity. Also present is a more vegetable, grassy side - probably from the Cabernet Sauvignon present in the blend, although it is not apparent in the nose. Good, present tannins that mold the wine without imposing themselves on the taste, this has a good, lengthy finale marked by plum notes.

A definite classical Alentejo, very inviting and food-friendly .

Tasted on 2012-09-02

Reserva ACR 2009

15.5 / 20

Producer: Adega Cooperativa do Redondo

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Not very expressive on the nose, this reserve from Adega Cooperativa do Redondo shows some red wild fruits along with some oak and spices notes.

In the palate, it feels fulll bodied, showing a tannic structure, fresh acidity and some marked oak notes. Tasting it by itself, it comes along as a really young wine, needing some bottle time to mellow and mature. It feels more balanced when matched with food, with some nice wild red fruits bubbling up to the foreground while the tannins and the acidity are kept in check by the food - assuming you taste this with an heavy, meat based dish.

Nice persistence that gives up some more fruit notes. Overall, this felt like it needed at least a couple of years in the bottle before being properly appreciated.

Tasted on 2012-08-16

Monsaraz Millennium 2011

15.0 / 20

Producer: CARMIM

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Predominantly citrus scented at first, there are also some sweet tropical fruits joining the bouquet later.

Soft in the palate, very balanced and easy to drink, it also shows some light citrus notes along with sweet, meaty fruits. Average length on the ending, this would be a good choice to drink by itself by the pool or beach.

Tasted on 2012-08-15

ACR Touriga Nacional 2006

15.0 / 20

Producer: Adega Cooperativa do Redondo

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Another varietal from Adega Cooperativa do Redondo, this Touriga Nacional has a nice open ruby color and a pleasant nose where ripe red fruit mingle with some oaky notes and, later on, some faint flowery notes also appear.

Also pleasant in the palate, with nice, ripe raspberries, a nice dryness and a balanced acidity, this is a balanced, honest wine, although it feels somewhat tired sometimes. Good average Persistence with notes of red fruits again, but where the usual flowery notes from the Touriga are absent.

Tasted on 2012-08-13

José de Sousa 2007

15.5 / 20

Producer: José Maria da Fonseca

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Tasted in a half-bottle, this red from Reguengos de Monsaraz has the distinctive feature of having been partially aged in some huge clay vases.

Pleasantly ruby to the eye, the nose has some nice wild red berries going, along with a more harder to pin down note - something more vegetable, mint-like.

Nice, average bodied in the palate, with really lively, dry tannins. These tannins, along with a fresh acidity give this a nervy, edgy feel that is very refreshing. Good red wild berries on the palate as well, the fruit being more on the acid side than on the sweeter, the end is average length.

A very gastronomic wine and a wine that will probably age well.

Tasted on 2012-08-11

ACR Syrah 2006

15.5 / 20

Producer: Adega Cooperativa do Redondo

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Clear garnet in the glass, this Syrah starts with a not very enthusiastic bouquet, showing some sweet raspberries and jam, along with a hint of evolution. As it opens, there's a light mint note in there as well.

First impact on the mouth is much more rewarding, with the wine showing a good intensity, soft and polished but still showing a good deal of acidity and a very interesting raspberry and mulberry feel that fills the palate without being too heavy.

Very balanced and sharp all the way to the medium-length finish that shows lots of red berries.

Nicely polished and in a really good drinking window, this was a really nice surprise and a very worthwhile Alentejo Syrah.

Tasted on 2012-08-10

Artefacto Colheita Seleccionada Syrah 2010

16.0 / 20

Producer: Luís Duarte

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

A 100% Syrah from the Alentejo, this dark purple red has a good bouquet where red cherries and plums mix with strawberry jam in a subtle oak background.

Medium-bodied in the palate, it shows a fresh acidity. While round and inviting, it also shows a distinctive dryness brought by some top-notch quality tannins. The right amount of red fruits and jam mix with just the right amount of cocoa and vanilla from the oak, resulting in a very balanced wine. Good, dry finish that also brings out some jam notes.

Its acidity and dry tannins make this a very gastronomical wine, that will go well with regional meat based dishes. It can definitely wait another year in the bottle or give it an hour or so in the decanter before enjoying.

Tasted on 2012-08-05