Spotlight On: Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Certified Producers


Created in 2015, the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme is a unique certification programme, the first in Portugal. 641 associated members, occupying about 60% of the planted vineyards (±13,464 ha) are already putting into practice the rigorous process of implementing sustainability practices, and currently 12 producers have managed to obtain this certification. The programme supports improvements in environmental and social sectors, as well as the economic performance of Alentejo’s wine industry and covers from the all the viticultural aspects to the production in the cellar and beyond.

SITT Autumn is THE opportunity to discover, IN ONE PLACE, the first 12 certified Alentejo producers, who are 'making differently, so everything stays the same!' Julia Harding MW, Senior Editor and Staff Writer at jancisrobinson.com, and João Barroso, responsible for the creation and implementation of this programme at Wines of Alentejo since 2015, will jointly present a masterclass. Come and join them at 2pm in London and Manchester, and taste 6 wines from certified Alentejo producers and understand better the programme and practices producers have implemented. As the Spotlight On at SITT Autumn this year, these 12 certified Alentejo producers and, in some cases, their importers, can’t wait to show you how they’ve implemented the best sustainability practices.

All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Clear filters
records: 12
Stand:  
Rui Nabeiro’s old dream has come to life through a work by Siza Vieira, one of Portugal’s most prestigious architects. Adega Mayor surprises the plains of Alentejo with its imposing minimalist white building, the first winery designed by a renowned architect in Portugal. The entire production processes happen here: grape processing, wine making and storage. Its proximity to the São Mamede Mountain, the granitic soils and temperate climate contribute to the unique character of its wines. Wines with their own personality, fresh, balanced and elegant, the result of a manual and devoted harvest.
show more show less
Stand:  
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.
show more show less
Stand:  
Casa Relvas was born from the desire to continue the family’s history; a family that has been living from the land for five generations in two continents. This family project began in 1997 by Alexandre Relvas at “Herdade de São Miguel” in São Miguel de Machede - Redondo, when he saw the similar landscape as his African roots. The passion for Alentejo and respect for its unique and authentic nature led to the first step in this project: the planting of a typical afforestation. But it was in the vineyard, a culture with more than 2000 years of history in the region, that he discovered his true passion. Our love for celebration drives us to produce wines every day at Casa Relvas. Our mission is to produce quality wines to accompany every moment in life; wines that make a meal, a celebration or a get-together more special; wines that bring back memories of good times.
show more show less
Stand:  
Founded in 1973 by José Roquette and Joaquim Bandeira, Esporão’s mission is to make the finest wines from what nature provides, in a responsible and inspiring way. Today, we are one of the leading wine companies in Portugal and one of the largest organic wine producers in the world. Playing a key role in the national and international promotion of Alentejo, but also present in the Douro and Vinho Verde regions, Esporão has become an ambassador of Portuguese culture, developing its activities in a sustainable manner, whilst building relationships with clients and consumers all over the world.
show more show less
Stand:  
Located in Vidigueira, Herdade da Lisboa was acquired by the Cardoso family in 2011, having since benefited from significant investments of wich we would here highlight the construction of a modern winery, wich includes a cellar of traditional and architectural design for ageing wines, with an integrated temperature and humidity control system, wich provides the ideal conditions for the ageing of wines in barrel and bottle, as well as a tasting room, shop and a meeting and events room with a 150-person capacity. This project also plans to build a restaurant, an agricultural museum and a tourist accommodation unit on the estate in the near future.
show more show less
Stand:  
Malhadinha Nova is a traditional family estate located in Albernoa in the heart of Baixo Alentejo. Since 1998, the family’s passion and commitment have transformed long-abandoned land into fields that can give life to genuine, high-quality Alentejo products. Herdade da Malhadinha Nova was born from a dream, the dream of producing great wine, the best wine in the world.
show more show less
Stand:  
Herdade do Rocim is an estate located between Vidigueira and Cuba, in the Lower Alentejo. It comprises 120 hectares, 70 of which are made up of vineyards and 10 hectares of olive trees. Since its inception in 2000, Herdade do Rocim has invested heavily in the vineyards, replanting vines and introducing new varieties. They cultivate the vineyard sustainably and are associated with the Sustainable Program of the Alentejo Viticulture. They are pioneers in ‘amphora wines’, following the ancient traditions of vinification in pots known as ‘Tahla’. The vineyard is cultivated manually and minimal intervention is used in the cellar, to produce fresh, elegant and mineral wines. In 2018, Herdade do Rocim was awarded Best Wine Producer by Revista de Vinhos.
show more show less
Stand:  
Herdade dos Grous, in Alentejo wine region, is a project from Pohl family. The estate with 1,050 hectares, has 133ha of vineyards, olive groves, cork oak forests, organic vegetable garden, a dam and a hotel. Herdade dos Grous's mission is to produce sustainably, protect the environment, promote the well-being of its employees and benefit the local community in which it operates. To achieve the goals of its project, we have been working with transparency and constant development, and at the end of 2020 Herdade dos Grous was the first wine producer in Alentejo to obtain certification in Sustainably Produced, promoted by the Wine of Alentejo Sustainability Program. Luís Duarte, winemaker and administrator of Herdade dos Grous, was awarded by the President of the Republic with the degree of Commander of the Order of Business Merit, in the Agricultural Merit class, and three times elected by the press as the Best Winemaker in Portugal. He coordinates a young and dedicated team. The wines from Herdade dos Grous are quality wines, using indigenous grape varieties and the most modern oenological techniques, representing the strong identity of the Alentejo wine region.
show more show less
Stand:  
Herdade dos Lagos is located in Alentejo. This regenerative/organic family farm has 1000 hectares. The main production is wine, olive oil, carob and sheep. The vineyard has 32 hectares of red and white varieties (Alfrocheiro, Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Petite Syrah, Syrah, Tinta caiada, Tinto Cão, Touriga Nacional, Alvarinho, Arinto and Viosinho). All wine production is organic (BIO), Sustainable certified (WASP program) and Vegan.
show more show less
Stand:  
Parras Wines is one of the top 10 largest groups operating in the wine business in Portugal. With 350 ha of vineyards in Lisboa (Quinta do Gradil and Casa das Gaeiras) and Alentejo (Herdade da Candeeira and Herdade da Vigia), our company has a young and multidisciplinary team working with native and international grape varieties, such as Tannat, Petite Syrah, Vital and Arinto. Own vines and partnerships in four other regions (Douro, Dão, Vinho Verde and Tejo) allow us to present a portfolio of unique quality, with renowned brands and numerous awards. In addition to being one of the top suppliers of the off trade and on trade in Portugal - our brand Mula Velha is the TOP 1 regional Lisboa in sales in the off trade, Pêra Doce is the TOP 1 regional Alentejo brand and our regionals Tejo Cavalo Negro and Cavalo Bravo are the TOP 1 and TOP 2, respectively - we’ve been supplying different export markets with our brands and private labels for many years. Due to our production capacity, we are also able to offer tailor-made solutions that include different types of packaging, bottle sizes and wine profiles, ranging from entry-level to DOC.
show more show less
Stand:  
Quinta do Paral resumes its history when in 2017, entrepreneur Dieter Morszeck acquired 85 hectares of land in the Alentejo. Redesigned in collaboration with winemaker Luís Morgado Leão and commercial director Maria Pica, the focus of the estate is on environmental sustainability and respect for the Alentejo culture and tradition. The preservation of the wine culture of Alentejo, and of Vidigueira Denomination, is what moves the Quinta do Paral project. Here, unique wines and excellent olive oils are produced. You can savour the traditions of the Alentejo in a select restaurant and unwind in a charming hotel with 21 rooms. Quinta do Paral is a family business that offers the world the tradition of winemaking, and the soul of the region, in every bottle produced.
show more show less
Stand:  
Tapada de Coelheiros is a family estate that has been producing high quality wines in Alentejo since 1991. A project based on sustainability, focused on achieving the maximum balance between the estate's ecosystems, from the cork oak forests, vineyards, walnut trees, wildlife, pine forests, olive groves and pastures, the estate stretches over 800ha. From vineyard to bottle, a composition deeply connected with land and nature, this is how the wines from Tapada de Coelheiros are born. Located in Igrejinha, near Arraiolos, our labels share the philosophy of the art of its famous handmade tapestries.
show more show less