Origin
Soils are mainly a mix of schist and granite. The producers work the vineyard under the principle of “Earth Friendly” – with an organic philosophy aligned to overall care for the wildlife, and with sustainable farm and animal management.
Grape Variety
Ciconia, if you are not a “twitcher”, is the latin genus for the (white) stork, which likes to breed in this estate and region. It is a blend of three varieties – the indigenous Touriga Nacional, Aragonez (the Portuguese for the Rioja grape Tempranillo) and Syrah. The wine is mainly fermented in stainless steel with a lick of oak for a vanilla “polish”.
Alcohol Percentage
13.5%
Cellar Potential
Drink now and over next 2 years.
Producer
Herdade Sao Miguel is owned and run by Alexandre Relvas Jr - based in Redondo, part of the beautiful and sprawling Alentejo region. The estate was established by his father and there is a large range of varieties grown across their vineyards – with a mix of indigenous Iberian and international varietals. The winemaking is overseen by Alexandre with the support the renowned consultant Luis Duarte.
Their impressive cellar and production centre was built in 2003 in a minimalist style; this winery is located at the middle of the Herdade Sao Miguel vineyards. It was designed to manage up to 500,000 kilos of grapes annually.
Food Match
Ideal with a hearty stew or casserole – in Portugal this would include goat. Also matches well with BBQ sausages, steak and chicken in the summer, served with a bold BBQ sauce.
In the press
Wine Spectator's Top 200 Best Value Wines (2009 vintage)
Reviews
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