Cabeças do Reguengo “Vira Cabeças”

alentejo, portugal |  2019

When people ask us what they should know about Portuguese wine, our first piece of advice is to ask about “the where.” Portugal is a relatively small country, with a great deal of climatic diversity and terrain. If you learn first about where the wine is from it will teach you quickly about what to look for in terms of body, flavors, and acidity.

The 2019 “Vita Cabeças” is a perfect example of the importance of learning about “the where.” This small winery is located in a remote part of the Alentejo wine region. When you typically think of wines from the region, you think full bodied reds, likely from the sub-regions of Borba, Redondo, Reguengos or Vidigueira. Those areas tend to be lower altitude, flatter, and overall warmer.

There is one portion of the Alentejo region, spread far away from the “main” part, tucked into the hills of the Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede, close to the town of Portalegre. It is here where João Afonso in 2009 bought a beautiful piece of property with century-old vineyards, and created Cabeças do Reguengo. Having had a chance to visit the property with João, you see the passion that he has for the land, and his dedication to making wines that speak of the terroir.

“Vira Cabeças” is one of 12 wines that he produces, a field blend from five different parcels, and over twelve different grape varieties. This is a classic example of how the varietal in Portugal is often not the focus, it is the place. The wine is fermented with natural yeasts and aged in 1000-liter barrels, a portion of which are new. This has beautiful red and dark fruit aromas, showing a sunny climate, but also has freshness and herbs, signifying the elevation and surrounding natural plant life of the property. He makes just 2650 bottles of this beautiful wine. Pair this with grilled lamb chops.