Discovering Alentejo: Tradition, Innovation, and Sustainable Wines

This week, I had a chance to check out the Alentejo wine region in Portugal. It’s one of the biggest wine-producing areas in the country, known for its indigenous wines and scenic landscapes. Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein led us through a session explaining the region and tasting the wines.

Located in the southern part of Portugal, Alentejo covers about one-third of the country. The region is characterized by vast plains, hills, and a Mediterranean climate, creating favorable conditions for grape cultivation. Portugal is the fourth-largest wine region in Europe and the eighth-largest wine region in the world.

Evan talked about the “six A’s of Alentejo” as a broad overview:

Alicante Bouschet — the pride of Alentejo and the region’s flagship red. Antão Vaz — an indigenous and delicious white grape variety from Alentejo. The classic red blends of Alentejo — winemakers have almost 250 varieties to work with, so they are known for their playful take on blending skills. Amphora/talha (as referred to in Alentejo) winemaking — aside from the Republic of Georgia, Alentejo is the only region with a continued tradition of amphora winemaking dating back over 2,000 years. Activism — Wines of Alentejo’s internationally recognized Sustainability Program (WASP) have established the region among the world’s most progressive where sustainable winemaking is concerned. Altitude — wines from Portalegre in the northernmost part of Alentejo, as well as the higher elevations of Vidigueira to the south.

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