It was the João Clara winery located near Alcantarilha, here in the Algarve, that first impressed me with a wine made from the Algarve’s indigenous Negra Mole variety. This is the grape that once prevailed here in the Algarve, making much of the cheap local plonk sold in 5-litre flagons that anyone who lived here 20 or 30 years ago will remember.
Back then, nobody had ever thought of trying to make a high-quality wine from this grape, a variety that is unusual in that a ripe bunch is made up of both red and white grapes. Many of Negra Mole vineyards in the Algarve were torn up by the new wave of producers who, over the last couple of decades, have put our region on the wine map planting mostly international varieties.
Some producers, however, such as João Clara, nurtured these old vines, whilst others over recent years,have planted Negra Mole. Today, there are a number of producers in the region making high-quality wines from this grape, notably Arvad near Silves, the Santos winery near Carvoeiro and Morgado do Quintão near Lagoa.
The wines are often compared to Pinot Noir or Gamay in terms of style. They are light-bodied reds that, when treated with care, can produce smooth and elegant wines that will please the palate of most Pinot and Gamay lovers.
This latest wine from João Clara is in excellent example. Fermented and aged in traditional claypots, it is pale, almost violet in colour, with fresh berry fruit aromas. In the mouth, it is well-rounded with soft tannins and good acidity leading to a lingering finish. It may seem expensive at €26.95 (Apolónia), but the quality more than justifies the price tag.
By Patrick Stuart
patrick.stuart@open-media.net
