Alentejo wine has changed a lot in the last twenty years. The region used to be known for heavy, tannic reds that needed years in a cellar. It still makes those, but it also makes fresh whites, skin-contact wines, and lighter reds that are good with food. Here is a starting point for visitors who want to drink well without spending a lot of time reading labels.
The main grape varieties ¶
The red varieties you will see most often are Aragonez (the same grape as Tempranillo in Spain), Trincadeira, and Alicante Bouschet. Alicante Bouschet is unusual because it has red flesh as well as red skin, which gives the wines a deep colour and a particular kind of fruit. For whites, look for Antão Vaz, which makes full-bodied, aromatic whites that work well with the region's food.
Producers worth visiting near Évora ¶
Herdade do Esporão near Reguengos de Monsaraz is the most well-known and has a good visitor centre and restaurant. Herdade dos Grous near Albernoa is smaller and worth the drive south. Adega Mayor near Campo Maior is further east but makes some of the most interesting whites in the region. All three offer tastings. Book ahead for Esporão in summer.
Buying wine to take home ¶
The weekly market in Évora has a wine stall run by a cooperative from the Borba area that sells bottles from €4 to €12. The quality at the lower end is genuinely good. For something more considered, the wine shop on Rua de Burgos in Évora has a well-chosen selection and the owner will talk you through it if you ask. We keep a small selection of local bottles at Cricket Glen that guests can buy at cost price.
Pairing with Alentejo food ¶
The local food and the local wine were made for each other, which sounds obvious but is worth saying. The Alicante Bouschet reds are good with the pork dishes. The Antão Vaz whites are good with the açorda and the local cheese. A chilled rosé from the region is the right thing to drink in the garden at 7 pm in July. We can recommend a specific bottle for each of these situations if you ask.
What we serve at Cricket Glen ¶
Our half-board dinner includes a glass of wine from a selection of four or five bottles we rotate through the season. All are from the Alentejo. We do not have a wine list as such. Tiago picks what he thinks works with the evening's menu and explains the choice when he pours it. If you want a specific bottle, tell us when you book and we will try to have it.
Wine in the Alentejo is best drunk slowly, outside, when the temperature has dropped a little. If you want a recommendation before you arrive, email us and we will suggest something based on your preferences.