In an attempt to nurture the typical regional characteristics of this warm region, that has been producing wine for more than 2000 years, Aldeia de Cima’s classic and elegant wines reflect the enormous complexity of the heterogeneous soils and the character of the native grape varieties and other varieties perfectly adapted to the region. Wines that preserve the history of the place, presented to the market two years after the grape harvest.
Garrafeira is a very old Portuguese term that refers to bottle-aged wines, a process which provides a better integration of the structure, body, acidity, gravity and wood. Over the years, wines stored in cellars began to gain this designation and became part of the legislation governing some of Portugal’s finest wines.
The Herdade Aldeia de Cima’s Garrafeira White 2019 mirrors the unique wealth and freshness of the terroir of the Serra do Mendro. The respect for the primary elements of the terroir – the soil, climate and grape variety - takes us to the culture of the village, to our identity, to the wines of yesteryear. Here we look at the land as our home, looking for fine textures, mineral notes, intense fresh fruit scents and aromas from the Mediterranean forest, the complexity that the aromas of the local grape varieties that are grown at a high altitude are mixed with the flavours originating from soils on sunny slopes, where the temperatures are moderated by the fresh Atlantic winds, originate a different Alentejo, in the Serra do Mendro, that divides the Alto Alentejo from the Baixo Alentejo.
Herdade Aldeia de Cima recovers traditions.We interpret our origins.Here, there is something that is genuine, intense and evokes what is incomparable about the Alentejo - its density, its aromas and its depth.It couldn't have come from anywhere other than Alentejo.This is a serious wine that is true to its land, a unique combination of robust origins, sophistication and solid precision.It is a timeless wine with a strong and lasting personality.The attraction of nostalgia tells us that time has not run out.
Myndru are wines that bring to mind echoes of primitive voices, and the spirit of an ancient, but not forgotten, Alentejo!
They are the result of poor and skeletal soils and reflect the delicate perfume that only indigenous grape varieties can endow.
Our memory takes us to the fresh aromas of the gentle slopes of the Aldeya vineyard subject to the light wind of the Serra do Mendro. There we feel the varied composition of the earth, the quartz particles shining, the uniqueness of the green schist, the sharp stones that populate the bottom of the slope and the clods of clay that insist on standing firm in the heat of the sun, refreshed by the moisture that rises to the surface of the subsoil depth. Myndru recovers the delicacy of the old Alentejo grape varieties. The ageing in cocciopesto amphorae preserves the dense perfumes of the white flowers of the crops, the sap of the bushes that grow next to the vine, the stone fruits that ripen quietly in the background in the small vegetable garden of the house. The classic structure, firm texture, without wavering, shows us the freshness of the trace elements, the tension of the sun, the serious gravity. A long farewell focused on ancestry.
We descend to the foothills of the Serra do Mendro, through the vineyards of Cevadeira, protected by the shaded slopes. The ancient thin-skinned grape varieties engender a translucent colour and round tannins. In Myndru we feel the tradition and typicality, the fine and delicate aromas of red fruits grown in brown poor soils in a cool climate, with balsamic notes of kermes oak and rockrose. Our attention is drawn to the complexity of these wines made in micro-territories. The transparency of the delicately coppered grapes, aged in plaster and clay amphorae, reveal the texture and scent of the orange groves that are cultivated further downstream. The gravity of Alfrocheiro and the succulent richness and viscosity of Tinta Grossa create sensations that fill our memories and remind us of wines that echo primitive voices. Ultimately there is the mineral perception and tension of the Baga grape variety and a firmness, which is perfected by ageing in Cocciopesto amphorae.
The Cante Alentejano (polyphonic singing from the Alentejo) is a unique expression of the local people. Its inclusion by UNESCO on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity reflects the Alentejan people’s love for the land and their resilience in the face of the harshness of life. It was created to entertain workers while they toiled in the fields and evokes the purity of the spirit of the epoch.
The songs are about the land, the plains, and the animals. It is a portrait that conveys the emotion of the Alentejo. When you hear the lyrics, you can almost feel the scorching heat, the aroma of wild species, and the elegant breeze blowing across the fields. You can almost discern the typical sounds of a long summer's night and the anticipation of the long-awaited harvest.
We’re talking about the steep-sloping landscape of the Serra do Mendro, which separates the Alto and Baixo Alentejo. This geological phenomenon in the municipality of Vidigueira, with an east-west orientation, forms a natural corridor ideal for the influence of Atlantic winds. It was here, looking up at the light blue sky, that we dreamed of making our wines.
The Reserva Branco (white) combines the terroir of this land, influenced by the cooler climate and the diversity of skeletal soils, producing a balanced wine with a fragrant aroma, linear structure, and high density and minerality.
We have studied the ancient history of the Alentejo’s wines and vineyards, as well as a vast range of traditions, geology, textures and aromas. We preserve genuineness because we feel, from the outset, that we have time on our side. We looked for traditional grape varieties and found them.
Using the simplest possible processes, we managed to produce wines that we hope are authentic messengers, clearly transmitting the local emotions and reflecting the terroir. We wanted to convey an understanding of the nature of the region and we succeeded.
Luisa Amorim discovered the Alentejo at an early age - where the greens and browns of the cork oak trees mixed with the holm oaks and olive trees, in an immense and seemingly infinite territory, as she stayed in the region before heading south for her summer holidays in the Algarve. From her father she learned about the deep sense of pride felt by the local people, the importance of planting for the future, and the fact that, in this immense territory, the land only has value if you plant things in it.
Alongside cork, a vertical pillar of her family’s universe, Luisa soon discovered that wine is also one of her great passions, from her experience managing the Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo estate, in the Douro region, and the Taboadella estate, in the Dão region.
Her family originally acquired the Herdade Aldeia de Cima estate in 1994. In 2017 she decided to rebuild the small village and plant a vineyard in the Serra do Mendro, which soon became a life project.
In the photograph, from left to right; Joaquim Faia, José Falé, Luisa Amorim, Francisco Rêgo, António Cavalheiro, Gonçalo Ramos, Jorge Alves.
The Herdade Aldeia de Cima is managed by the couple, Luisa Amorim and Francisco Rêgo.
From the outset, the estate has been coordinated by José Falé, in conjunction with Gonçalo Ramos, who is responsible for forestry activities and animal production.
The winemaking team, formed by Jorge Alves and António Cavalheiro, with viticultural support from Joaquim Faia, is designing the profile of the Herdade Aldeia de Cima’s wines, paying special attention to study of the Serra do Mendro’s micro terroirs.
Nelson Coelho is responsible for the sales strategy.