Oaky Alentejo whites are something I usually steer well clear of as there are many cases in the region of over-oaking of white wines that often do not have the intensity to justify (in my opinion) even a sniff of oak.
One winery that stands out in my book when it comes to careful and intelligent use of oak is Herdade do Sobroso. This is a huge 660-hectare estate close to the Spanish border, located on the banks of the Guadiana and very close to the Alqueva Dam, Europe’s largest man-made lake.
Winemakers Filipe Teixeira Pinto and Luís Duarte produce a wide range of wines in varying price ranges and this “Reserva” label sits roughly in the middle price of the range at €14.95 (Apolónia supermarkets).
The wine is made exclusively from Antão Vaz, Alentejo’s most emblematic white grape, and is fermented in stainless steel vats before only a part of the wine being aged for three months in oak barrels on the lees.
On the nose, there is no evident trace of oak, the aroma is clean and fresh, with the oak lending subtle hints of tropical fruit to the floral notes that are typical of the variety. In the mouth, the wine has considerable structure with good acidity leading to a nice dry finish. This is a wine that will pair well with dishes such as oven roast fish, white meats and definitely with cheese.
By Patrick Stuart
patrick.stuart@open-media.net
