Portugal has long been a source of well-made, distinctive wines that cost a lot less than one might expect. Regions such as the Douro—home to Port and hearty reds—and Vinho Verde—land of light, refreshing whites—are well known. But other parts of the country deserve attention, not the least of which is Alentejo, a large, diverse land that stretches into the deep south of the country. The region produces an array of wines that will satisfy wine enthusiasts in search of bottles that are easy on the pocketbook, collectors seeking age-worthy wines of great value, or those geared toward both wines that cut across the grain and remain deeply traditional.

Alentejo, which encompasses nearly a third of Portugal’s total land mass, produces a great deal of solid, modestly priced wines that have both local and international appeal. But over the past quarter century, several winemakers from the region itself and elsewhere (perhaps starting with the Rothschilds of Château Lafite) saw beyond the under $10 bottle and recognized the region’s exceptional potential for producing memorable wines, regardless of price.

To get there, they approached Alentejo’s micro-climates and geological differences with a new sensitivity—they embraced its autochthonous grape varieties as well as its unapologetic adoption of grapes from elsewhere, including a variety scorned even in its place of origin (more on that shortly). Finally, they valorized the practice of fermenting wines in talhas, or amphoras, a tradition that not long ago was seen as archaic. 

The Lay of the Land

While Portugal is bracketed by the Atlantic on two sides, Alentejo’s wine-growing zones aren’t defined by the ocean. Rather, this is a land of sunshine and heat that radiates from the interior of the Iberian Peninsula. Summers can get toasty, up to 110° F in some places. There are undulating plains, home to much of Portugal’s cereal production (corn, wheat, rice). But a significant portion of the region’s topography is populated by olive trees, some centuries old, and in the northeast, by steeper, sharper peaks.

Then there are the oaks of various species. The most significant is Quercus suber, better known as the cork oak, a protected species upon which a large portion of the wine world relies. Livestock—cattle, sheep, pigs—is an important part of local culture, and a great deal of the country’s finest charcuterie comes from here.

History, Ancient and Modern

Viticulture has been practiced in Alentejo for four millennia, beginning around 2000 BCE with the Tartessian civilization of southern Iberia, followed by the Phoenicians and then the Greeks. It was the Romans, however, who left the greatest legacy, leaving behind not only ruins, but technologies and techniques preserved to this day. The most important of these has been the unbroken use in Alentejo of amphoras, or talhas, to both make and store wines.

Alentejo’s wine history saw ebbs and flows after the end of Roman rule in the 5th century CE, including a significant decline during the Moorish period (8th to 13th centuries), and a renaissance with Roman Catholic rule. 

Alentejo’s modern wine story begins in the 1980s. In 1989, national regulations defining quality and viticultural zones were established with the Alentejo Denominação de Origem. Known as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), akin to France’s Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, the regulations set rules regarding production yields, grape varieties, and blends. Approved wines had to submit to technical analysis and approval by a tasting panel.

This system was refined further in 2003 with the creation of eight subregions defined by soil type, topography, and microclimate. These include Portalegre, Borba, Redondo, Reguengos, Évora, Vidigueira, Granja-Amareleja, and Moura. In the northeast, Portalegre, skirting the São Mamede mountain range, is marked by vineyard elevations up to 1000 meters and notably cooler temperatures. Vidigueira, Alentejo’s most southern and westerly subregion, enjoys a conduit of cooling Atlantic breezes. Wines in both these zones are marked by freshness, higher acidity, and lower alcohol. In contrast, wines from the hotter, dryer subregions are more robust, higher in alcohol, and fuller bodied, but they can offer an indulgent warmth and excellent capacity for aging. 

What’s Grown and Where

Portugal is second only to Italy in the number of native grape varieties (around 250). Alentejo is home to at least 20 of those, both reds and whites, and many of its winemakers are proud to proclaim their use of them—particularly those localized in subzones. Vintners in Validigueira, for instance, are fanatical about the white Antão Vaz, acclaiming its freshness and aromatic qualities. In Portalegre and parts of Borba, especially Estremoz, Arinto is a white favored for its acidity, minerality, and structure, much like Chardonnay in France. In searingly hot Granja-Amareleja, the red Moreto is beloved for its charming red cherry flavors and maintaining its acid. 

More than other Portuguese regions, however, Alentejo has long been open to grapes from other parts of the Iberian peninsula, as well as so-called international varieties—even authorizing some for PDO status. Aragonez, known as Tempranillo in Spain, is, in fact, Alentejo’s most-widely planted grape.

More notable, however, is the prominence of Alicante-Bouschet, a teinturier grape (red-fleshed— most red varieties have white flesh) that was bred in the south of France in the mid-19th century. Regarded as little more than utilitarian in France, as well as in most other places it was planted, Alicante-Bouschet found its natural home in the hot, dry environs of Alentejo when it arrived in the 1880s. It was praised for its structure, deep color, and freshness, with sappy, wild berry flavors sometimes topped with a dusting of cacao.

With its varied microclimates, soils, and 82 authorized grape varieties, Alentejo produces a diversity of colors and styles. Though not required, blending grape varieties is the norm, especially true in wines made from old vineyards which were often co-planted with several varieties. Oak-barrel aging is common, particularly with robust red blends, but producers in the region often apply a subtle hand in their use of wood. More prestigious, investment-worthy wines tend to show their spicy, smokey oak side in their youth, but that element usually melts into the wine after a few years.

Talhas–Alentejo’s Amphorae See a Resurgence

While Alentejo’s ancient tradition of talha has been passed down from one generation of vintners to the next, the Portuguese government formalized regulations around their production in 2010. For a wine to be classified as a Talha Alentejo wine, the grapes must be harvested from an Alentejo subregion, and be destemmed and fermented on the skins until completion, and finally rest in impermeable clay amphoras until the Saint Martin’s Day (November 11) following harvest. Only after then can the talha’s contents be tapped for consumption and sale.

Historically speaking, talha wines were sold at tavern-restaurants. Since the size of the amphora (up to 2000 liters) made transport difficult, the wines were often made there as well, ready to be served fresh with seafood or hearty meat dishes from the Alentejo countryside. In comparison to wines made in Georgian amphora (qvevri), talha wines are somewhat lighter, fresher, and less tannic. Another difference—whereas amphoras are buried in the ground in Georgia for natural temperature control, they’re kept above ground in Portugal. “We’re just too lazy to bury them,” admits João Santos of Mainova winery.

The Present and the Future

The transformation of Alentejo in the past three decades shows that laziness is not one of the region’s issues. But one challenge is certainly climate change, as winemakers are forced to strategize about the best ways to deal with it. Growers throughout the region have begun employing regenerative farming methods, and those in Portalegre are planting at higher elevations.

Elsewhere, vignerons are exploring  more judicious irrigation systems like subterranean water lines. Still others are revisiting some of the ancient or out of favor varieties like Moreto, Tinta Carvalha, or Tamarez, varieties that can withstand the heat. Regardless, Alentejo’s ancient history of winemaking and its ability to remake itself, will certainly bring the region into a positive future.

In our next installment, we’ll explore some of the estates that should be on your radar.