Alentejo is the name of a wine-growing region, as well as that of a province in southern Portugal. For a long time the gently rolling landscape was far less known for its wine than for its grain cultivation. "Land of Bread" is what the Portuguese call this stretch of land. Less appreciated is that this region produces another vital vinous commodity: cork. A large number of Portuguese cork oaks grow throughout the countryside and provide an essential contribution to the worldwide demand for cork. Until the 1990s, wine production was dominated by cooperatives, most of whom produced unpretentious wines for the domestic market. Gradually, with investment available from the EU, this region was discovered for high-end winemaking, one of the pioneers being Domaines Barons de Rothschild from Bordeaux, who acquired the run-down Quinta do Carmo in 1992. Since then, some very accomplished winemakers and wineries have settled here, and they are increasingly able to exploit the region's potential. Conditions in Alentejo are not easy; the clay and loam soils provide good terroir, but the high temperatures in summer can be a major problem, drought and water for irrigation are also constant problems. White and red wine varieties are cultivated, but the hot climatic conditions puts the focus on red wines with the emphasis on indigenous grapes; Arigonês (Tempranillo), Trincadeira and the unusual red-fleshed Alicante Bouschet which ennobles assemblages and yet can be majestic in its own right.
