Herdade dos Grous, Moon Harvested, Alicante Bouschet

Last week I posted my first ever review of an alicante bouschet, and it’s already time to post a second.

This one comes from Herdade dos Grous, located in the Lower Alentejo, in Albernôa. They are not only a wine producer but they also have olive groves, vegetable crops, horse breeding and more on their 700 hectare estate. They even have accommodations where tourists can stay. It looks like quite a nice place.

When it comes to wine, they pride themselves on using the latest technology to ensure quality and consistency, while also employing traditional winemaking techniques as well, such as hand-picking the grapes in order to handle them more gently at harvest.

It is labeled as “Moon Harvested” and the producers describe it as harvested “in the cycle of greater influence of the moon in the sap transport.”

The spice is right up front on the nose, offering vanilla, nutmeg and cocoa aromas. Of course there are plenty of dark berry aromatics too. On the palate it delivers tangy blackberry flavors with some black pepper spices and a stony mineral nuance. The mouthfeel is nice, with enough tannin to give it some texture. The acidity is spot on, giving the wine a brightness. It finishes fairly long with black tea-like tannin, mineral and blackberry flavors lingering on the tongue.

Wine: Herdade dos Gous, Moon Harvested, Alicante Bouschet
Varieties: 100% alicante bouschet
Vintage: 2016
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 88
Average price: $25.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.