A great value-for-money Alentejo white.
I’m not a great fan of Alentejo whites, save a few very special exceptions. I generally find that the alcohol comes to the front too much for my taste and this is no surprise given the baking heat and lack of sea breezes on the plains of the region. But I was both surprised and impressed by this one at €5.99 in Apolónia.
Herdade do Peso is part of one of Portugal’s wine behemoths, Sogrape, the company that gave us Mateus Rosé and today controls a significant proportion of Portugal’s wine production ranging from commercial plonk like Mateus all the way up through the ranks to the country’s most expensive wine, Barca Velha from Casa Ferreirinha in the Douro.
This project in Vidigueira, the sub-region of the Alentejo most recognised for whites, produces three ranges of wines and this Sossego (meaning ‘peace and quiet’) label sits in the middle.
The white is made from a blend of Arinto, Roupeiro and Antão Vaz grapes, fermented in steel vats and then matured on the lees with stirring, again in steel, for three months. Pale straw yellow in colour, the wine has a ripe fruity nose of lemon, peach and pear with lively acidity in the mouth and a smooth finish. Great value for money and a perfect wine for enjoying with barbecue fish or chicken on a hot summer afternoon.
By PATRICK STUART [email protected]
