Casa Clara is a family-run wine producer in Alentejo, south of Portugal. The company is named after Clara Roque do Vale (she was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award alongside with Jancis Robinson MW, here in Portugal).
Casa Clara was founded by Clara and Carlos Roque do Vale with the objective of producing wines of excellence in Alentejo, based on authenticity, quality and sustainability, expressing with great conviction the strong identity of the region.
In 2019, Mariana Roque do Vale joined the Casa Clara project, becoming one of its business partners. Representing a new generation in the family, Mariana's objective is to give continuity to the project her parents implemented, wishing to honour the past and establishing a bridge to the future, adding new layers and directions to a promising reality.
Casa Clara is a certified proud member of the Alentejo Wines Sustainability Program. All our production, be it in vineyard or be it in the cellar, practices a sustainable agriculture. We are progressively implementing a partial migration towards organic farming production systems and renewable energy in our estates.
We have 2 properties at the heart of the Alentejo: Herdade da Capela (in the sub-region of Moura, on the left bank of the Guadiana River) and Quinta de D. Maria (in Serra do Mendro, sub-region of Vidigueira, near Alqueva).
Our logo (the cross), the names and the labels of our main brands (Capela, Monte da Capela and Herdade da Capela) all are inspired by the chapel located in the middle of the vineyards and developed by our winemaker Alexandra Mendes. The brands were created with the size of the locations in mind: Capela (Chapel is the entry level brand), Monte da Capela (The Chapel’s Hill is our mid-range) and Herdade da Capela (Chapel’s Vineyards being the top range).
Sustained by this long wine making tradition, we have recently developed a new brand, Ermo. Ermo winemaking project was created by the winemaker Joana Pinhão and our desired outcome is clear: develop low-intervention wines with a strong identity, both in the vineyards and in the winery, that combine the best of the region's soils, precision viticulture and character oenology.
We are very excited about attending SITT AUTUMN LONDON in London & Manchester.
Join us and taste our wines!
We will be at the fair with our partner in the UK, Marta Vine.
As Marta Mateus (found of Marta Vine) believes, we also believe that wine is not just a beverage, but away of life - a celebration of nature, culture and the human spirit.
We cannot wait to share with you our passion for sustainable, ethical, and delicious wine that reflect the terroir and tradition of our region. Our wines are not just a sustainable wines, but also wines full of character and personality - each bottle tells a unique story of its origin, production and people behind it!
Casa Clara Catalogue
WINEMAKER: Alexandra Mendes GRAPE VARIETIES: Antão Vaz, Viosinho and Arinto. WINEMAKING: The year 2022 was a year of balanced quality but a great year for this wine. The whites of this year are full of good acidity, elegance and freshness. The grapes are crushed and destemmed and solids are separated through decantation. Natural fermentation with selected yeasts. Aged on fine lees for 1 month. TASTING NOTES: An appealing citrus coloured wine with green reflections. On the nose, the wine shows a lovely intense aroma with citrus fruits notes (such as melon, banana and lemon). On the palate it is a full wine with body and final unctuousness. Consume preferably at 10º-12ºC
WINEMAKER: Alexandra Mendes GRAPE VARIETIES: 100% Aragonez. WINEMAKING: The year was a year of balanced quality but a great year for this wine. Moderate cold maceration and fermentation at a controlled temperature at 16ºC-18ºC. Aged on fine lees for 1 month. TASTING NOTES: Light pink wine. On the nose, the wine shows an intense fruit aroma with lychee and vanilla notes. On the mouth it has good acidity, structure and enveloping body. Distinct and harmonious aftertaste. Consume preferably at 10º-12ºC.
WINEMAKER: Alexandra Mendes GRAPE VARIETIES: Trincadeira, Aragonez e Cabernet Sauvignon WINEMAKING: The year 2019 was a very balanced year in the Alentejo which produced wines with elegance and freshness. The grapes are crushed and destemmed, then proceed to skin contact maceration over 5 days with a pneumatic press. TASTING NOTES: Beautiful garnet colour. On the nose, the wine shows a fresh intense aroma of forest fruits (such as blueberry) with spicy notes (such as rotundone and dry tobacco leaf). On the palate it has a soft and fresh flavour, a long persistence. Consume preferably at 14º-16ºC.
WINEMAKER: Alexandra Mendes GRAPE VARIETIES: Antão Vaz, Arinto, Viosinho and Verdelho WINEMAKING: The year 2020 was a good year which produced wines with elegance, good acidity and freshness. The grapes are crushed with partial destemming. Cold fermentation took place in vat, skin ciontact maceration over 7 days. TASTING NOTES: Straw yellow colour. In the nose, the wine shows a citrus fruit with some white pulp notes, a slight vegetable is founded. On the palate, the wine surprises by the elegance, smoothness and freshness, characteristics of the grapes varieties. Consume preferably at 12º-14ºC.
WINEMAKER: Alexandra Mendes GRAPE VARIETIES: 100% Viosinho WINEMAKING: The year 2022 was a balanced quality, which produced wines with elegance, good acidity and freshness. Early maturing variety, one of the first to be harvested. The grapes are crushed and destemmed, separation of the must by decantation and cold fermentation. TASTING NOTES: Citrine color with greenish reflections. On the nose, the wine presents a complex aroma with intense floral notes. With volume in the mouth, it has a texture with good viscosity, supported by a good acidity. Persistent aftertaste. Very balanced. Consume preferably at 12º-14ºC.
WINEMAKER: Alexandra Mendes GRAPE VARIETIES: Arinto, Antão Vaz and Verdelho. WINEMAKING: The year 2019 was a very balanced year in Alentejo, which produced wines with elegance and freshness. The grapes were pressed and lightly crushed. The 3 weeks fermentation took place at controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks. One third of the juice was aged for 3 months in new 225 liters French oak barrels. TASTING NOTES: Citrin colour. On the nose, the wine presents an aromatic intensity with honey and orange blossom notes. In the mouth it is very fresh. The flavor is rich, its unctuousness and acidity gives a great elegance. A long length, balanced and harmonious. Consume preferably at 10º-12ºC.
WINEMAKER: Alexandra Mendes GRAPE VARIETIES: 100% Alfrocheiro WINEMAKING: The year 2020 was a good year, which produced wines with elegance, good acidity and freshness. Cold pre fermentation maceration at 8º-10ºC. Fermentation maceration over 4 days, using the délestage technique. Aged in stainless steel for 8 months. TASTING NOTES: Intense ruby colour. On the nose, the wine shows a great aromatic finesse with black forest notes of blackberry and dark cherry. On the palate, it is a very balanced, fresh and elegant wine. Long length with the presence of tannic structure. Consume preferably at 16ºC.
WINEMAKER: Alexandra Mendes GRAPE VARIETIES: Arinto, Antão Vaz and Verdelho WINEMAKING: The year 2017 was marked by dry winter conditions with a rainfall below normal. January and February were very cold but a hot spring followed, especially in the month of May. This contributing to an earlier burst, flowering and maturation of the fruit. In Alentejo, the harvest started about two weeks earlier than usual. Manual harvest. Destemmed whole grapes are directly pressed. Inoculation of a must with selected yeasts. Separated fermentation of each grape variety at a controlled temperature of 16ºC-18ºC. One third of the juice aged for 6 months in new 400 litre French oak barrels with strong toast. TASTING NOTES: Citrus colour wit greenish hues. On the nose the wine offers citrus notes with some vanilla, very smooth. On the palate, it has a good breadth of flavours, freshness and softness. Aftertaste a mineral and long finish. A very elegant wine with great ageing potential. Consume preferably at 12º-14ºC.
WINEMAKER: Joana Pinhão GRAPE VARIETIES: 100% ARINTO WINEMAKING: The year 2020 was a good year. Very fresh wines are expected, with good acidity, good aromatic intensity, elegance and structure. Gentle pressing, only separating the free-run juice from the must. The fermentation took place in new French oak barrels (50%) in a cold chamber at controlled temperature at 14ºC and in stainless steel thanks (50%) at 16ºC, with ageing on fine lees for 10 months. TASTING NOTES: White wine with a clear and citrine colour. On the nose the wine shows a a citric and mineral character, on the palate there is a great integration between acidity and wine texture, supported by quality barrels. A wine with a long finish. Consume preferably at 10ºC-12ºC.
WINEMAKER: Joana Pinhão GRAPE VARIETIES: Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet and Cabernet Sauvignon. WINEMAKING: The year 2020 was a good year. Very fresh wines are expected, with good acidity, good aromatic intensity, elegance and structure. Gentle destemming and crushing, cold skin contact maceration for 24 hours before the start of fermentation. The fermentation took place in stainless steel thanks at controlled temperature of 23ºC. The wine was aged in new and used French oak barrels for 18 months. TASTING NOTES: Deep color. Concentrated, on the nose the wine shows a complex aroma with a spicy notes and great freshness. On the palate an excellent tannic structure and balanced acidity that will allow to age with excellence. Consume preferable at 14ºC-16ºC