The Estate

Quinta do Centro is located at Reguengo on the slopes Serra de São Mamede at 500 – 560 metres above sea level. Within 5km of the property the serra rises to over 1,000 metres above sea level, making this the highest point in southern Portugal. To use a Portuguese phrase, Quinta do Centro is on the meia encosta, (‘half-way up the slope’), where it is considered that the best wines are generally produced. The property lies on the edge of the São Mamede Natural Park. The Portalegre sub-region (a DOC in its own right) is quite different form the rest of the Alentejo with a terroir all of its own. The soils are schist and granite, with granite predominating at Quinta do Centro. The property spans a shallow valley and the soils are poor, full of rock and generally well drained. Annual average rainfall, which is below 400mm in much of the Alentejo, is in excess of 600mm in Portalegre. 

Unlike most of southern Portugal, land holdings in the Portalegre region are extremely fragmented, especially on the serra which has more in common with the north than the south. Quinta do Centro is fairly unusual in that it extends to just over 20 hectares of which 12.5 ha are planted with vines. Just under 10 ha are currently in production, with the oldest vineyard planted approximately 25 years ago. A further 2.7ha were replanted in 2006. The remainder of the property is semi-wild and given over to olive trees and cork oaks. There is also a small dam for irrigation. The principal grape varieties (in descending order of importance) are Trincadeira, Aragonez Alicante Bouschet and Grand Noir with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2007 we planted Touriga Nacional, Syrah and a small quantity of Viognier. A new winery was built on the property and used for the first time in 2007. There are also five houses in the property, four of which will eventually be restored for wine-related tourism.

The Wines

Our aim is to produce three different premium red wines, each from a blend of grape varieties, reflecting the terroir of the region. The emphasis will be on producing wines with balance, finesse and poise as opposed to the tendency to make big, blockbuster wines elsewhere the Alentejo. By 2011 when the vineyard is in full production it is envisaged that the property will be producing the equivalent of 42,000 litres a year apportioned between three red wines as follows:

•  Pedra Basta (meaning ‘enough stone’) with production rising to 26,500 bottles retailing c. €10 a bottle. (Vinho Regional Alentejano)
   
•  Pedra e Alma (meaning ‘stone and soul’) approx 20,000 bottles pa retailing at c. €20. 
   
• Prestige Blend (produced only in the best years) max. 2,000 bottles say three times a decade retailing at € 40  

Pedra e Alma and the prestige blend (yet to be named) will only be produced when we have sufficient wine with sufficient quality. The priority markets for all three wines are UK, USA and Portugal. Building and projecting the right image will be crucial to the success of our project and, while maintaining its roots in the Alto Alentejo, an international approach is necessary to put our wines and the Portalegre region on the map.

For day-to-day information on the running of the estate see Richard Mayson's wine blog 'Living the Dream' on www.richardmayson.com

UNITED KINGDOM

Sonho Lusitano Vinhos Lda. is represented in the UK by Richard’s Walford, Hales Lodge, Pickworth, Near Stamford, Lincs PE9 4DJ Tel. 01780 460451 Contact: Karen Jenkins Karen.Jenkins@r-w.co.uk

 Pedra Basta 2007 is available in the UK from the following sources:
 

SOUTH

• The Wine Society, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2BG  01438 740222 www.thewinesociety.com
• Vinoteca, 7, St John Street, London EC1 www.vinoteca.co.uk 
• Butler’s Wine Cellar, 247 Queens Park Road, Brighton BN2 9XJ www.butlers-winecellar.co.uk 
• Raffles Wine Company, The Old Fire Station, Old Market, Nalisworth, Glos. 
• Sommelier Wine Company,  23 St Georges Esplanade, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 2BG  
• Summertown Wine Café, 38, South Parade, Oxford, OX2 7JN 
• The Dorset Wine Company, 37 Peverell Av. West, Poundbury, Dorchester DT1 3SU www.dorsetwine.co.uk
• Philip Eyres Wine Merchant, Barracks Hill, Amersham, Bucks HP7 OLW

   

MIDLANDS

• Delilah Fine Foods, 15, Middle Pavement, Nottingham NG1 7DX www.delilahfoods.co.uk
• H Smith's 16-18 Compton Street, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 1DA
•  Worth Bros Wine Merchants, The Cellars, Cathedral House, 5, Beacon Street, Lichfield, Staffs. www.worthbrothers.co.uk

   

NORTH

• The Cheshire Smokehouse, Vost Farm, Morely Green, Wilmslow, Cheshire www.cheshiresmokehouse.co.uk 
• Ibbotsons of Ashford, Ashford –in-the-Water, nr Bakewell, Derbyshire 01629 812528
• deFINE Food and Wine, Chester Road, Sandiway, Cheshire CW8 1NH www.definefoodandwine.com
• John Hattersley Wines, Milford, Bakewell DE45 1DX www.johnwines.com
• Hanging Ditch Wines, Britannic Buildings, 42-44 Victoria Street, Manchester M3 1ST www.hangingditch.com
• Field and Fawcett, Bingley House Farm, Grimston Bar, Hull Road, York YO19 5LA www.fieldandfawcett.co.uk

   

RESTAURANTS

• The Fat Duck, High Street, Bray, Berks. SL6 2AQ www.thefatduck.co.uk
• Fischer's Baslow Hall, Baslow, Derbyshire
• Vinoteca Ltd, 7, St John Street, London EC1
• Summertown Wine Café, 38 South Parade, Oxford 

PORTUGAL

In Portugal Pedra Basta is distributed by Vinicom (www.vincom.pt) Vinicom : Centro Empresarial Sintra/Estoril II Edifício B Estrada de Albarraque 2710-335 Tel. 219 104 650 Fax 219 244 222 geral@vinicom.pt

Pedra Basta 2006/7 is available in Portugal from the following:

SOUTH (Algarve and Alentejo)

• Drinksgave, Albufeira
• Garrafeira Rui, Almancil
• Apolinia Supermercados, Almancil
• Boa Boca Gourmet, Évora
• Supermercados / Garrefeira Rui, Faro
• Garrafeira Grandola, Grandola
• Supermercado Baptista, Praia da Luz
• SuperNisa - Sepermadcados, Nisa
• Garrafeira Veneza, Paderne
• DrinkPor, Portalegre
• Caldeirão de Sabores, Portalegre
• Ma-jo, Portalegre
• Garrafeira Vital, Tavira
• Garrafeira Cobeal, Vila Real de Santo António 

   

CENTRE / LISBON

• Garrafeira Adivinho, Lisboa
• Garrafeira de Almada, Almada
• Casinha do António, Setúbal
• Coisas do Arco de Vinho, Belém (Lisboa)
• Delidelux, Lisboa
• Garrafeira Napoleão, Lisboa
• Garrafeira Venha a Vinha, Lisboa
• Vino Divino, Lisboa
• Wine and Flavours, Lisboa

NORTH / OPORTO

• Copo d'Uva, São João de Madeira
• Garrafeira Tio Pepe, Porto
• Garrafeira D.Vinho, Coimbra

   

RESTAURANTS

• Restuarante Cascata, Alferrarde (Abrantes) 
• Café - Restaurante Regata, Alpalhão
• Restaurante Pompilo, São Vicente (Elvas)
• Tasquinha do Oliveira, Évora
• Delidelux, Lisboa
• Bica do Sapato, Lisboa
• Solar de Presuntos, Lisboa
• Wine Bar do Castelo, Lisboa
• Restaurante Sever, Marvão
• Restaurante Jardim, Ponte de Sôr
• Solar do Forcado, Portalegre
• Tomba Lobos, Pedra Basta (Portalegre)
• Restaurante Deolina, Santiago de Cacém
• Bar do Binho, Sintra
• Restaurante Quinta de Beloura, Quinta de Beloura (Sintra)
• Restaurante O Prego de Prego e Rato, Vendas Novas
• Restaurante Xuinhashop, Oeiras

SWITZERLAND 

Sonho Lusitano Vinhos is imported to Switzerland by Vinoversum (www.vinoversum.ch) 

 

Vinoversum A. Gatti AG, Tösswiesenstrasse 8, CH-8413 Neftenbach
	Tel.: +41 (0)52 213 00 20, Fax: +41 (0)52 213 00 40
	eMail: info@vinoversum.ch
	skype: vinoversum

PEDRA BASTA in the UK press…

‘…red, dark, rich and intense with dense, stony tannins, real mountain wine.’

Charles Metcalfe in The Wine and Food Lover’s Guide to Portugal

Pedra Basta 2007

Dark, dense, full-bodied, with ripe, spicy, red-berry and blackcurrant fruit and touches of licorice, chocolate and vanilla; fine chewy tannins. A red with southern Portuguese flavours, but Douro polish, from an estate – Quinta do Centro – belonging to UK wine writer Richard Mayson. You can drink it now, but it should be good for another four years. 13.5% abv. 

Joanna Simon, www.joannasimon.com

Fellow wine scribe Richard Mayson has bought Quinta do Centro, a vineyard in the cooler hills of the Alentejo. There he produuces elegant ripe fruit without high sugar levels, enabling to control the alcohol. 2007 Pedra Basta is his best vintage yet. .... It's soaked in fruits of the forest, with fine-grained tannins and earthiness - decant it to appreciate it fully.

Amelia Pinsent, Country Life

 Less “loud” than the 2006 and I prefer it.  There’s a little less Cabernet and the 07 shows more red fruits supported by firm but ripe tannins.  More elegance and persistence than its predecessor  – it seems better to capture Portalegre’s potential for this mid-weight style and no doubt also reflects a cooler growing season.

Sarah Ahmed, The Wine Detective

 Delicious, ripe, full-flavoured red from the Alentejo, from the excellent 2007 vintage, from UK wine wruter and specialist Richard Mayson. Drink now - 2012.

The Wine Society

 Pedra Basta 2006

 'Trade up to this confident, individual red from Portugal, currently one of the best places to find interesting wines. This is a ripe, full-flavoured, grown-up red; the wine's complexity comes from a blend of four mostly local grape varieties. It has a convincing pedigree, made by top winemaker Rui Reguinga and Richard Mayson, the UK's leading wine writer on Portugal's wines.'BBC Good Food Magazine - Nov 08
 Sarah Jane Evans MW, among her best buys for Christmas.

'…fragrant, floral with aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry leaf and a touch of leather. Very fine tannins…more poise and tension [than the 2005]. I would give this another year in bottle. Drink 2010 – 2015'

Neal Martin’s Wine Journal on Erobertparker.com

‘Dark blackberry fruit on the nose, plus a bit of plummy spiciness. The palate is dense with some firm, savoury, spicy structure underneath the sweet blackberry and plum fruit’.

Jamie Goode’s Wine Blog

‘A gorgeous rich, supple red from the hills of the eastern Alentejo…’

The Wine Society

This has calmed down since I last tasted it when it was all exuberant, glossy fruit.  It’s now less bouncy, more “winey”, with juicy damsons and the Cabernet Sauvignon really coming through with blackcurrant to nose and palate.  Slightly chewy tannins have mellowed and become better integrated with the fruit too.  Good.

Sarah Ahmed, The Wine Detective   

Pedra Basta 2005

‘Broad, full, sunny flavours that speak eloquently of the warmth of the Alentejo are followed by the grip imposed by the local land’.

Jancis Robinson MW

…an impressive Alentejo from English wine writer, Richard Mayson along with winemaker Rui Reguinga. It has a warm, open-knit nose of summer fruits, raisin and dates with good definition. The palate is full-bodied, plump and quite ravishing in texture…

Neal Martin’s Wine Journal on Erobertparker.com

‘…full of deep, rich savoury flavours, rounded and long – a real food wine with character and style’

Christine Austin, Yorkshire Post

‘Fresh herbal, even a little cedary on the nose. Both elegant and juicy. A light had in the winemaking. Charming, discreet tannins. Drink 2008 – 10’ 16.5 / 20

Julia Harding MW at jancisrobinson.com

‘Peppery, damsony, chewy port-like intense palate – intriguing four grape Portuguese blend by Englishman Richard Mayson’

Rose Murray Brown MW, The Scotsman

‘Spot on…plush, smokey, seductive red, with cherry and raisin fruit backed up by fine grained tannins.’

Simon Woods, Wine & Spirit

 ‘From the hills of the eastern Alentejo, this is ripe and satisfying, full the of natural, rich, savoury flavours of Portugal’s indigenous grapes.’

The Wine Society
 

I have only tasted Château Grillet once before in my life - a rather disappointing 1979 that I picked up realtively cheaply in a wine oddments shop on the outskirts of Derby. Until recently the wine did not live up to its name or price. Now under the management of a new generation of the Neyret-Gachet family who have this 3.8 hectare vineyard since 1825, Grillet is worthy once more. Pale straw; restrained (closed initially though not over-chilled), opening up to reveal its wonderful perfume, apricots, blossom and something nebulous which I can only describe as being akin to a fine soap; lovely texture (suggesting low yields - Grillet was at one time regularly yielding considerably more wine per heactare than the appellation allowed),  rich, soft, creamy, fat but very well balanced with years still to live. Worth its price tag of  £59.00.  18.5

Cornas, Les Chaillots, Thiérry Allemand ****

From younger vines (less than 40 years old) on this small, relatively new estate (established in 1982): still deep and youthful in colour; classic, well-developed northern Rhone Syrah aromas: open, perfumed with black pepper, dark chocolate and blackberry; similarly opn and receptive on the palate, fine spicy character, great purity (blackberry and blackcurrant), lovely streak of acidity, not big but fine and taut, tannins verging on sinewy. Perfect now but should continue to develop for another five years.  £29.00 18 

The following wines are presented in the order they were tasted apart from Taylor 1985 which was included in the general portfolio tasting.

 Fonseca 1985 ****

 Very good youthful colour, still deep with a red rim; youthful on the nose too, gently perfumed floral character with the spirit just showing through; sweet, fleshy with gentle, fresh berry fruit backed by peppery tannic grip, dry finish. Drinking well now but with plenty of life left. This is probably the best wine from a very patchy vintage. A huge declaration: 20,000 cases. The only year in history to produce more wine was 1927, a remarkable vintage and a much better year overall than 1985. 17.5

 Taylor 1992 ****

 Still deep and opaque, thin ruby rim; open, ripe, opulent, floral – rose petals and those characteristic violets; rich, quite hefty, full and fleshy with ripe tannic grip, good length, with a touch of dark chocolate concentration on the finish. Ready to drink and will evolve well for another 20 years or more. Just 6,200 cases declared after a long gap between declarations. 1991 / 1992 were what is termed a split vintage i.e. some shippers declared the latter (notably Taylor and Fonseca), others the former. With the benefit of 16 years in bottle, 1992 was undoubtedly the better year. 17

 Taylor 1994 **** +?

 Deep, opaque centre, thin ruby rim; very ripe, still quite hot and jammy but rich, dense and impressive with further to evolve on the nose; similarly dense on the palate, still with characteristic flesh and broad, ripe tannins, dark chocolate concentration but still slightly raw around the edges. Needs another five years to soften. 18.5

 Taylor 1997 *** / ****

 Mid-deep colour with a broad ruby rim, by no means as deep in colour as some of the wines in this tasting; fine, open, floral character but a touch smoky with more to give on the nose; rich, sweet, quite opulent in style, firm, dry tannins, some dark chocolate leading to a foursquare finish. Needs time to round off, approach in another three years. 10,500 cases declared. 16.5

 Croft 2000 ***

 Croft belonged to Diageo in 2000 only came into the Fladgate fold in 2001 (on the day before 9/11). This wine is partly made from the residual wines from the Taylor and Fonseca blend as well as some wine from Croft’s own Quinta da Roeda: Very deep, opaque colour, thin ruby rim; open, fragrant aromas, rich and fruit driven with more to give; intense, dense, quite rich and fruit driven, big, sweet plumy style, backed by firm gripping tannins. Drink fairly early but still needs five years to show at its best. 7,000 cases declared.  16

 Fonseca 2000 *****

 Very deep, youthful crimson colour, closed; dark, dense, underlying richness, very impressive indeed; big, powerful and withdrawn, wonderful depth, multi-layered, massive superstructure. Very powerful with a long way to go. Drink from around 2020, this wine will probably last a lifetime. 19

 Croft 2003 ****

 This is the first Croft vintage to be foot trodden in lagar since 1963 and it shows: deep, opaque colour, thin crimson rim; very rich, fleshy, broad and fruit driven, plum and berry fruit, lovely suave depth and length with firm grip. Very well balanced but needs another ten years before drinking. 17

 Taylor 2003 ****

 Very deep, opaque colour, thin crimson rim; closed, some heat underlying; big, powerful with massive tannins, still somewhat disjointed and needing time to come together, powerful spicy finish with great length and persistence. Needs another 15 years in bottle. 18

Croft 2007 ***

 Deep, youthful crimson colour; still open, fragrant if raw and perhaps slightly green; soft initially, mid-weight, well balanced, firm and rather sinewy but with lovely freshness and vibrancy. 16 

 Taylor 2007 ****

Very deep, opaque; dense, giving very little away on the nose, underlying intensity evident; fine, seemingly quite light at this stage with good definition and purity of fruit, vibrant, still very young and raw but settling down well. 17

 Taylor 1985 ** 

 Quite pale in colour, brick red to pink; hollow and comparatively washed out on the nose with spirit showing through, something slightly musky underlying; fresher on the palate, firm grip though the fruit seems to be fading. Quite lean and skinny on the finish – drink up! Stands in the shadow of Fonseca 1985 (above). 14

 Symington Family Estates

 Chryseia 2007 **** + ?

 I have been critical of this wine in the past, borne out by my tasting of the 2000 in the spring of 2009. Made from grapes grown at Quinta de Perdiz, Quinta da Vila Velha and Quinta do Vesúvio (see below), total production amounted to 35,000 bottles. The grape varieties are 50% Touriga Nacional and 50% Touriga Franca both of which ripened well in 2007. Big, dense, serious red, new oak very much evident needing time to integrate, sweet fruit, soft and fleshy with the floral character of Touriga Nacional showing through, ripe, naturally sweet fruit offset by a lovely streak of acidity. Combines power with elegance. 18 

 Post-Scriptum 2007 ***

Efectively the second wine to Chryseia: a blend of 40% Tinta Roriz, 35% Touriga Franca, 20% Tinta Barroca and 5% from old interplanted vines. Nine months gestation in 400 litre French oak before bottling in July 2008: elegant, forward compared compared to Chryseia, not a big wine, soft cherry and plum fruit complemented by soft ripe tannins. Elegant. 15.5

Prazo de Roriz 2007 ***

 The second wine of Quinta de Roriz, made by the Symingtons before they bought the estate outright in 2009. Lovely, dense, ripe sweet fruit, firm and broad, supple and not aggressive with sweet fruit and ripe tannins. Always very good value.     16

 Quinta do Vesúvio 2007 ****

 This is the second time I have tasted this red from the most stately estate in the Douro. It is made up from 70% Touriga Nacional, 20% Touriga Franca and 10% Tinta Amarela, following 22 days cuvaison the wine spent 10 months in new 400 litre French oak barrels and bottled in September 2008: dense, new oak still very evident, very sauve in style, ripe tannins and plummy fruit, smooth, suave and not aggressive like some young Douro reds. Quite pricey at £45. 17.5

 Pombal do Vesúvio 2007 ***

 The second wine of Quinta do Vesúvio: dark, similarly soft, sappy-sweet fruit, easy going yet quite sophisticated in style but lacking the density and concentration of the main wine (above). A bargain (?) at £18 bottle. 16

Niepoort

Redoma Branco Reserva 2008 ****

Closed, still quite green, taut, needs time to develop in bottle. A lovely streak of steely acidity runs right the way through. Will be very fine in another few months. 17.5

 Batuta 2007 ****

 Dark, tight knit, characteristically firm, foursquare tannins, quite dry and austere in style at this stage, good length. Should develop very well in bottle.  17

 Robustus 2004 ****

 Dense, rich dark chocolate fruit, really powerful vinous punch. Makes up in power for what it lacks, at this stage anayway, in finesse.  17.5

 Doda 2007 ****

An inspired  blend of wines from Portugal’s two greatest wine regions: Douro and Dão. Fragrant (suggesting a high percentage of Touriga Nacional) yet dense and rich with fine balance of fruit and ripe gravelly tannins. This has the finesse of young Graves and will keep and develop well. Not cheap though at £48. 18

Ramos Pinto

 Duas Quintas Reserva 2007 ****

 Very attractive cherry fruit, quite dense with more to give both on the nose and palate; well defined, very fresh and fruit driven. Captures the Douro fruit beautifully. £28 17

 Duas Quintas Reserva Especial 2007 ****

 Still closed, solid, ripe broad tannins, great depth and weight, concentrated, tar and chocolate, big and powerful yet well balanced. Big yet well poised. £46 17.5

 Quinta do Crasto

 The two top wines from 80 / 90 year old vineyards on this beautifully located estate midway between Régua and Pinhão:

 Quinta do Crasto Vinha Maria Teresa 2007 ****

 Deep, opaque colour; closed, ripe, naturally sweet, rich berry fruit, tar and spice, wonderful ripeness, depth and breadth, retaining freshness on the finish.   17

 Quinta do Crasto Vinha da Ponte 2007 ****

 The bigger of the two wines, powerful though closed with much more to give, dense, rich and powerful, big, ripe leathery tannins, chewy, meaty, savoury, finishes with a flourish. Very good indeed. 18

 Xisto 2007 *** / ****

 Made at Quinta do Crasto but a separate project, Jorge Roquette in partnership with  Jean-Michel Cazes: open, fragrant, fine, new oak still evident, floral fruit, contrastingly soft and supple following on immediately from Quinta do Crasto. Already developed and drinking well. 16.5

Quinta da Gaivosa

 Quinta da Gaivosa Vinha de Loredo 2007 *** / ****

 From 100 year old vines: new wood still dominates, very fresh with good depth and balance, not big or powerful but elegant, has finesse. Fresh berry fruit continues onto the finish. €45 16.5

Abandonado 2007 ****

Dense, tar and spice, new oak, lashings of sweet fruit, liquorice-like concentration, rich, multi-layered, wonderful expression of old Douro vines but expensive at €60. 18

 More to follow.....