Casal da Coelheira, Private Collection Alicante Bouschet, 2020

Grapes

Alicante Bouschet

Vintage report

The 2020 growing season in Alentejo was defined by heat and drought — though that, of course, is not exactly news in a region that sits in one of the hottest, driest corners of Western Europe. What made 2020 notable was the intensity and persistence of the conditions, with an exceptionally dry winter followed by a warm, dry summer that pushed vines under significant stress. Producers who had invested in older, deep-rooted vines and lower yields were better placed to handle it; those without that foundation found concentration tipping towards overripeness. Harvest came early, and picking decisions mattered enormously.

The results, where viticulture was managed well, are wines of real substance — Aragonez and Alicante Bouschet delivered dark, dense, warmly spiced fruit with structure to match, and the better whites from Antão Vaz showed surprising freshness given the conditions. These are not shy, delicate wines, and they were never going to be. The reds are drinking well now with plenty of life ahead; most will reward patience until 2027 or beyond, though there is no hardship in opening them sooner.