Herdade do Mouchão, Mouchão Tinto, Alentejo, Portugal, 2013

Overview of the Wine
At the beginning of the 19th century, Thomas Reynolds migrated to the Alentejo region with the cork business as his goal. Three generations later, his grandson John Reynolds, acquired Herdade do Mouchão for wine production.

In 1901 the first vineyards were planted on the property and, in 1929, construction began on a traditional winery and distillery, which still produces Mouchão brandy today.

Today, Herdade do Mouchão continues to be managed and worked on by the descendants of the original family and the entire winemaking process remains virtually unchanged, preserving the traditional harvest by hand and the fermentation of the grapes in stone presses, using foot treading. It is these techniques and the entire success story of Herdade do Mouchão that makes this wine-growing company so close to what wines used to be like.

Origin
Alentejo, Portugal

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
The Estate’s flagship wine was first bottled in 1949. Sourced predominantly from the Estate’s best Alicante Bouschet grapes from the Carapetos, Ponte das Canas and Dourada vineyards, with up 15% of other local varieties – mainly Trincadeira – grown on the Estate. The latter provides an important aromatic component as Alicante Bouschet’s primary aromas are naturally shy. 

95 Points - Decanter
From this large region’s most historic estate, 70% of the blend is Alicante Bouschet, showing exotically spicy black fruit aromas leading to structure and depth on the palate, great individuality, and freshness and acidity for the long term. Excellent. Drinking Window 2018 - 2030.

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Tinto, the regular estate bottling, is a 76/24 blend of Alicante Bouschet and Trincadeira. It was aged for 36 months in used 5,000-liter tonels of varying ages and comes in at 14% alcohol. Still elegant, this has fleshed out a bit and certainly doesn't seem thin. It does many other things brilliantly, though. Alternating silk and velvet for texture, it is simply sensual, and caressing on the palate. The nuanced finish with waves of beefy Alicante adds complexity. This is also a little restrained—the tannins are moderate, but they certainly increase with air. You can drink this now, but it should still improve and will steadily get better. This is lovely. I'm not convinced it is a truly great one yet, at least in the context of this winery's history.

Product Size: 750ml