Description
Herdade do Peso comprises 457 hectares in Vidígueira, a sub-region of Alentejo, of which 160 hectares are planted under vine. Their vineyards sit against a backdrop of gently rolling hills and the new eco-friendly winery boasts an on-site reservoir and olive groves dating back to Roman times.
Despite its southerly location, Vidígueira is one of the cooler Alentejo sub-regions and benefits from Atlantic air funnelled inland by a gap in the coastal hills. Just eight hectares of the estate are planted with white grape varieties, as indigenous, red Portuguese varieties are favoured. Considerable work has gone into mapping the estate’s 12 different soil types and each variety is matched to its ideal plot. The limestone soils of the estate also lend elegance to the wines.
Herdade do Peso’s talented winemaker, Luís Cabral de Almeida, has a post-graduate degree from Australia’s Charles Sturt University and worked for many years in the Finca Flichman winery in Mendoza, Argentina. Named ‘Winemaker of the Year’ in 2024, by Portuguese wine magazine ‘Revista de Vinhos’, Luís is very involved in managing the Herdade do Peso vineyards and believes that “the oenologist’s primary role is to interpret nature”. The wines of Herdade do Peso reflect Vidígueira’s unique sense of place, being exuberant, ripe and generous, yet kept in balance by refreshing acidity.
‘Trinca Bolotas’, which translates to ‘acorn muncher’, is a nod to the acorn-eating Iberian black pigs native to the Alentejo region. An unoaked blend of Touriga Nacional, Aragonez and the Alentejo’s infamous teinturier grape Alicante Bouschet, it is bursting with ripe and juicy blackberry, black cherry and plum flavours.
This wine is ruby red in colour. On the nose, there are vibrant aromas of ripe and juicy blackberries, red and black cherries and plums. On the palate it is well-balanced, with smooth tannins and a refreshing acidity. A perfect food wine with excellent structure and a lingering finish.