$35.00
Alentejo is very close to home, therefore very close to the heart. Down in the south of the country in this very hot region, summer nights are magical, you can literally see 180 degrees of sky reflecting stars. This is due to the region being very flat for the most part, with little hills here and there, cork and olive trees, and vineyards…lots of them. It is very sparsely populated, every 20 to 30 km you find a little village of locals that are known for being very slow paced, at everything. In fact, it is said that if they have an urge to work, the reaction is to have a nap to relax and wait until it goes away!
Laziness aside, this is a beautiful wine region, incredibly peaceful. A perfect spot to take a holiday and visit winemakers that are always eager to open doors and share their work, just like at Herdade do Rocim. The last time I was there, we started very early in the day by visiting the winery, tasting the range of wines, staying for lunch and staying also for dinner. We ended up watching the classic Sporting Lisbon versus Benfica. Of course, that did not end well. Feel free to ask more…
Why do we like it?
This ‘Mariana’ is a young and bright red wine, with plenty of fruit generosity. It is indeed rich aromatically, revealing the warmth of the region. It is composed by Touriga Nacional, Aragonez (Tempranillo), Alicante Bouschet and Trincadeira. Whether you decide to keep this one or drink it now, both are possible. Personally, I would keep for another 3 years as it will help integrate the fruit, alcohol and oak with tertiary aromas of leather. The wine has been matured for 6 months in new French barrique.
Grape 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Aragones, 30% Trincadeira
Country Portugal
Region Alentejo
Vintage 2019
