Herdade do Peso Reserva Red 2017 - Alentejo, Portugal

17/20 Revista de Vinhos
16.5/20 Jancis Robinson
Decanter World Wine Awards

Gold - Vinalies Internationales
Silver - Mundus Vini
Bronze - International Wine Challenge
Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards

Ranked fourth among the wines from this region with respect to a number of prizes won.  

Only produced in exceptional vintages from grapes harvested from the top vineyard plots at Herdade do Peso.

Jancis Robinson - "Satisfying and long.....Very sweet-fruited, blackberry and blueberry. Then lovely and juicy on the palate, joyful fruit, silky texture, spice and fruit are the main players. Succulent but finishes dry. Oak in the background. "

Tom Cannavan - "Much more obviously minty and ripe, with vanilla and tight blackcurrant. Big dry tannins, but the juicy ripeness of the fruit and the lemony bite of acidity sits nicely in the long, quite elegant finish." (2015 vintage)

Alicante Bouschet is 68% of the blend, with Syrah and Touriga Nacional.

Awarded winery Herdade do Peso is owned by one of the largest wine-producing companies in Portugal. Still family owned the company was started in 1945 by Ferdadndo Van Zeller Guedes and is operated today by his three grandsons. Herdade do Peso is one of its largest wineries owned by the group, producing wines from Aragonês (another Tempranillo synonym), Trincadeira, Alfrocheiro, Periquita and Touriga Nacional. Winemaker Luis Cabral de Almeida is from Portugal with an international reputation.

Herdade do Peso is located in the municipality of Vidigueira, in Alentejo an exclusive wine-growing area, known for its diverse microclimate and an impressive variety of terroirs. For wine lovers, the Alentejo is Portugal’s go-to southerly region. This hot, dry area is best known for its red wines, the best of which are sold under the and Alentejo DOC (Denominacao de Origem Controlada) title. These wines are typically made from Aragonez (Tempranillo), Castelao, Trincadeira or a rich, ripe, jammy blend of the three.

Sarah Ahmed, The Wine Detective "Alentejo is renowned for red blends, which are as warm, generous. These blends might well feature Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon in addition to the non-local native varieties Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. Whites, a strength of Herdade do Esporão, are on the up now that the local grapes Antão Vaz and Roupeiro are being made in a fruitier style and blended with Arinto for freshness; and Verdelho and Viognier show promise.

Fruity, easy-drinking wine with soft tannins was a new way for Portugal, which started in Alentejo. It inspired an army of followers – between 1995 and 2010 the number of producers exploded from 45 to 260, more than 60 of whom open their doors to visitors."

Portugal is said to be the country with the largest number of different kinds of grape varieties. In fact, no one knows exactly how many but it is thought to be around 300. Portuguese wines are almost always blends and single grape wines are extremely rare.