Quinta da Alorna, Founded in 1723, Produces Their Best Wines Today, After Five Generations by Philip S. Kampe and Maria Reveley

                                                  Quinta da Alorna-Wines from Tejo
It was a real treat to visit an estate located close to the Tagus River,  near the lovely town of Santarem, a couple of hours east of Lisbon (Portugal). 

Initially, the estate was founded in 1723 by Dom Pedro Miguel de Almeida, who named the estate after conquering the Alorna Fort in Goa, India.

Subsequently, Mr.Alemeida was known as the ‘First Marquis of Alorna.’

Quinta da Alorna is a unique piece of property. Not only a winery exists on its 7,000 acres (2,800 hectares), but, an iconic villa loaded with priceless art and antiques adorn the splendor of the whole estate, which also focuses on the environment, nature and sustainability.

Five generations of the Lopo de Carvalho family have farmed the land and cultivated the 550 acres (200 hectares)  of sandy-soil vineyards that focus on both Portuguese and International varietals, that include amongst others, Verdelho, Arinto, Chardonnay,  Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon and Touriga Nacional.

Sustainability, social responsibility and conservation of the natural environment are the mantra of Quinta da Alorna. Growing onions, corn, peas and potatoes close to the vineyards represents the coexistence of natures’ importance at Quinta da Alorna.

Conservation of fauna and flora represent 5,000 acres (1,900 hectares) of the estates commitment to the environment.

Originally, the property was focused on agriculture, but, as of late, the emergence of fruit-forward wines paired with new technology and reasonable market prices have made Quinta da Alorna a highly recommended wine producer that exports to close to thirty worldwide markets. Sales, both domestically and abroad have risen year to year.

After visiting this ‘one of a kind Quinta’, it was easy to understand why personal involvement of the staff coupled with passion, produce the best results.

And following through on commitment, sampling wines from Quinta da Lorna on the TAP airline flights, where wines paired with traditional Portuguese cuisine from Michelin Star Chefs helps create a special attachment to the history and tradition of Portugal.

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com

 

Tejo, home of Amazing, Affordable Portuguese Wines by Philip S. Kampe

     

Tejo is Portugal's second largest wine producing region and dates back to the 13th century. Tejo is in the middle of Portugal and is the heart of its wine-making country.

Tejo is the only land-locked region in Portugal,but, due to the Tejo river the region is one of the most fertile in Portugal. Historically,  large producers dominated, but recently, modernization and state of the art wine-making facilities have transformed the region to world-class standards. Vines have been replanted and experimentation  of new grape varieties exists.

Tejo is named after the' Rio Tejo', the river that divides the region between the north and south. The Tejo river flows into the Atlantic ocean after it passes near to and through the Teo towns of Santarem, Almeirim and Chamusca.

Tejo, with its temperate southern Mediterranean climate has 50,000 acres of vineyards, 2800 hours of sunlight a year, less than 30 inches of rainfall a year and temperatures than average 60°F.

Tejo has six major wine producing subregions: Tomar, Santarem,  Chamusca, Cartaxo, Almeirin and Coruche.

Tejo is divided into three distinct zones:
1) Brirro: north of he Tejo River, hilly, limestone, schist and clay.
2) Charneca: south of the Tejo River, infertile, sandy soils, warm and dry.
3)  Leziria: runs along the Tejo River, alluvial, fertile soils.

The vines have been bush trained and can be up to 100 years old. Over 20 million bottles are produced a year. Vinification takes place in either stainless steel or oak barrels. Reserva wines can be classified DOC, while Gawrrafeira wines have distinctive vintage characteristics and are classified as DOC or VR. To achieve such a rating, white (42% of production) and rose (6%) wines must age a minimum of six months in the bottle. Red wines (52%) must age a minimum of twelve months in the cask and twelve months in the bottle.
The wines from Tejo stand out in both quality and price. Wines from Portugal have recently made a big splash into the U.S. market. In fact, Portugal has over 250 grape varieties at last count. The diverse soils and multitude of micro-climates produce award winning wines that consistently exceed expectations of winemakers, consumers and critics alike.

The wines of Tejo have exceeded my expecations and are worth sampling. Producers that are worth sampling are: Quinta da Alorna: Casa Cadaval; Casul Branco; Fiuza and Bright and Quinta da Lagoalva de Cima.

If quality and price are what you base your wine purchases on, then the Wines from Tejo should be your next discovery. Most bottles retail for under $20.

Many of the wines are made with indigenous grapes. The favorite grapes of winemakers in Tejo include: Alicante Branco, Arinto, Castelao, Fernao Pires, Trincadeira, Verdelho, Alvarinho, Touriga Nacional and Aragones.

For more information on the Wines from Tejo, contact: tejo@dgi-NYC.com

Philip S. Kampe

philip.kampe@thewinehub.com