Something special from the red hearted grape for Valentine’s Day
Traditionally used in the Alentejo as a blending grape to add depth of flavour and colour, the Alicante Bouschet grape has found its place as a varietal over recent years.
Notable producers include Herdade dos Grous with the excellent Moon Harvested red, and another of my favourites is this luscious wine from Herdade do Esporão.
The Alicante Bouschet grape is one of the very few wine varieties that is red as opposed to white on the inside, known in Portuguese as a tintureira (inking grape). It was first created in France and came to Portugal over 100 years ago, being adopted mostly in the south of the country.
What was traditionally a high yielding grape for low quality wines has been nurtured over the decades and today has an altogether different reputation.
AB, produced at Esporão only in exceptional years, is a big and sexy red wine, deep and dark in colour with concentrated berry notes and a hint of leather on the nose.
The 2010 is drinking beautifully now, full bodied with well integrated tannins and a long rich finish.
Usually priced at €24.99 in Apolónia, this is not an everyday wine but ideal as a special Valentine’s treat.
Promotional price at Apolónia supermarket
(valid from Thursday February 6 to Wednesday February 12)
ESPORÃO AB: €19.95 (retail price €24.99)
By PATRICK STUART [email protected]
