Aljezur, W Algarve - Portugal
The contrast between powerful, untamed nature and the calm rhythm of everyday life is what best describes Aljezur. Located on the edge of western Europe, it’s by definition a place of extremes.
What remains of a once prominent grape-producing area are mostly small plots once used by families to produce wine for their personal consumption.
After discovering these places for the first time at the end of 2019 we committed to it and gradually started to re-claimed these old parcels, bringing them back from a state of neglect and overgrowth. We cut dead vines, re-trained the healthy ones and seeded companion crops. Today, we cultivate approximately three hectares of land between the municipalities of Aljezur and Rogil.
Our vineyards are planted with field blends of indigenous grape varieties propagated decades ago by locals. White grapes like Boal, Cercial and Síria are interplanted with Bastardo, Castelão and others. We are committed to preserve these original combinations and year after year select the best genetics to create our own selection. We tend to approach each plot as a whole, without giving too much importance to grape varieties. We care to underline the changing profile of each vineyard year after year and see these differences evolve in bottle. For this reason we focus on single-vineyard bottlings, even for the smallest plots where production is limited to one or two barrels per year.
As in many other regions of Portugal, old vineyards are cultivated entirely by hand due to their irregular layouts. We mow grasses based on annual cycles, work the soil and care for each plant individually based on its vigour and needs.
We’re on a constant quest for harmony and precision of gestures in the vines.
We come from a traditional background in viticulture and winemaking, having trained our palates on the classics of Bordeaux, Barolo, and other historic regions. In contrast, here in Aljezur, the benchmark for how wines should taste remains blurred. This gives us the space and opportunity to tell our own story, expressing what this coast tastes and smells like for us. The mission is to capture the purest expression of this unique Atlantic region, as seen through our eyes and shaped by our experience.
Aljezur 8670-011 || W Algarve
Portugal