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 region are mostly small family vineyards intended for personal consumption.
After discovering these places for the first time at the end of 2019 we committed to bring them back to their old splendour, understand them and nurse them with the aim of producing something that is deeply connected to the traditions of this place. Today, we cultivate approximately three hectares of land between the municipalities of Aljezur and Rogil.
As for many places in Portugal, these vineyards are co-planted with blends of indigenous grapes that can be radically different to one another. White grapes like Boal, Cercial and Síria are interplanted with reds such as Bastardo and Castelão creating a genetic combination that is unique to this part of the world. We tend to approach each plot as a whole, without giving too much importance to grape varieties. Each vineyard with its own unique profile, evolving year after year. We choose to focus on single-vineyard bottlings in order to underline and value these variations.
As most plots appear as gardens, with vines scattered all over the place without trellising or a specific pattern, most of the work is done by hand. This includes controlling weeds, spraying and managing canopies through the season. We’re on a constant quest for harmony, our final goal is a cultivated system that resembles a wild ecosystem. Vineyards may look messy and overgrown in some parts of the year but we tend to differ from conventional agricultural landscapes based on monoculture.
Since the benchmark for what wine should taste like in this part of the world is still blurred we’re taking the opportunity to tell our own story, pouring our hearths, souls and minds into this project. The mission is to capture the purest expression of this wild Atlantic region as seen through our eyes and shaped by our experience.
Aljezur 8670-011 || W Algarve
Portugal