Search Results: Alentejo
One of our favorite places to revisit and explore is the southern Alentejo (ah-len-tay-zhoo) region of Portugal. Renowned for its versatility, the region cultivates over 250 varietals across a range of climates and altitudes. It is also a very budget-flexible region, offering something suitable at a wide range of price points. Before adjourning for the…
Read MoreAs I write this review longhand during a summer heatwave-induced power blackout, it is quite uncomfortable outside. The heat index surpassed triple digits before noon, humidity is swamp thick, and there is zero sign of relief until well into the evening hours. I’m sure this is a scene familiar to many, and it is another…
Read MoreThis is our third round (and the third ever vintage) of Symington’s Quinta da Fonte Souto, a white blend (75% arinto and 25% verdelho) from the Alentejo region in southern Portugal. it has taken its first steps into southern Portugal. It remains an expressive and particularly food-friendly wine, this year offering a bolder melon note…
Read MoreWe’ve ventured into Portugal’s southern Alentejo region a few times before and remarked how it’s a solid area that produces a great range of wine styles — over 250 indigenous grape varieties can be found here — invariably at affordable prices. Representatives for the region recently sent us a quartet of wines representing the state…
Read MoreWith over 250 indigenous grape varieties, Portugal has the highest density of native grapes of any country in the world. And while Portugal is largely known for its supple Ports and zippy white wines, there are plenty of delightful red table wines made here as well, particularly in the sunny Alentejo region that dominates the…
Read MoreSymington is well known for its Port holdings, and with Quinta da Fonte Souto it has taken its first steps into southern Portugal. We reviewed its first vintage, from 2017, last year. Now we’re back with a look at the 2018 white wine from this Alentejo-based operation. Again made from a blend of 75% arinto…
Read MoreThe Portuguese don’t sit around sipping Vintage Port all day. For everyday drinking, they turn to some simple and very affordable wines. Increasingly, these wines have been coming to the U.S., letting us discover new grapes, like Antao Vaz, and new regions, like Alentejo, where these three wines hail from. Alentejo covers most of the…
Read MoreWe’ve covered Symington’s Quinta da Fonte Souto white blend on several occasions, but never its red: this alicante bouschet is a signature variety of southern Portugal’s Alentejo region. These grapes are grown at Symington’s 511-acre Quinta da Fonte Souto estate in Portalegre. The resulting wine is dark purple, completely opaque — perhaps best thought of…
Read MoreJosé Luis Moreira da Silva — familiarly known as “Zé Luis” — is the colorful winemaker behind two Portuguese brands, one made in the northern Vinho Verde region, one hailing from the southern Alentejo. On a recent Zoom tasting, Ze Luis walked us through the vastly different terroir and winemaking processes involved with these four…
Read MoreQuinta da Fonte Souto is another Portuguese table wine brand from the Portmeisters at Symington. These 2017 releases include one red and one white, both blends. (The two on the right pictured above are reviewed below.) 2017 Quinta da Fonte Souto Branco White Alentejo DOC – This blend of 75% arinto and 25% verdelho comes…
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