Caves Alianca PARTICULAR Palmela D.O.

The History of Adegas Camillo Alves, S.A. dates back to the nineteenth century, when in the year 1881 Joao Camillo Alves started trading wines. The first wines he started to sell were produced in the famous wine region of Bucelas, an excellent area for producing white wine highly appreciated not only in Portugal but also worldwide. In 1921, the descendents of Joao Camillo Alves joined the company and expanded the business, making the company into one of the most important in the market. After producing the wine Romeira 3 Madeiras adventure, the innovative character of Caves Velhas oenological team developed a further experiment. This time the idea was to blend equal amounts of the Castelao grape from the 3 different oak barrels used. Each third had undergone 10 months ageing in French, American and Portuguese Oak respectively, and only then did blending take place. The result is an excellent wine where the aroma shows the presence of wood and is completed with intense flavours of ripe red fruit. With strong character, this wine is soft and round but full-bodied in the mouth and its firm tannins give it an elegant combination. (6 x 75 cl)

Caves Alianca VISTA TR Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo Portugal from Portugal by Caves Alianca (12 x 75 cl)

Caves Alianca VISTA RESERVA TN Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo Portugal from Portugal by Caves Alianca (12 x 75 cl)

Caves Alianca TINTO BRUTO Baga Bairrada Portugal from Portugal, Beiras, Bairrada by Caves Alianca (6 x 75 cl)

Quite full-bodied with peppery damson fruit and a dry finish. (12 x 75 cl)

Generic Tasting Notes Intense and pungent aromas of ripe grapes, pineapple and peach with undertones of spicy flowers; good fresh fruit concentration in the mouth, complex and tangy citrus finish. Producer Notes Alianca is a dynamic private company at the leading edge of modern Portuguese winemaking. A major quality producer using their resources of nearly 600 hectares spread across 7 regions, either owned or farmed under contract, with investment in vineyards continuing apace with new plantings and replanting in all of their properties every year. This includes 45 hectares under vine in the Douro, 100 ha at Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo in the Beiras I.P.R area , 70 ha in Dao, 25 ha owned in Bairrada plus 250 farmed under contract, 65 in the Alentejo, 5 under contract in Estremadura and 60 under contract in Palmela not far from Lisbon. Their other major asset is oenologist Francisco Antunes, who oversees production at 5 different vinification centres and is dedicated to getting the best out of Portugal's native grapes, retaining individual character while making approachable styles. Vinification Winemaker

The sandy soils on the plain below the hill-top town of Palmela are ideally suited to the Castelao variety. (12 x 75 cl)

International Wine Challenge 2000 (12 x 75 cl)

This robust and concentrated, special edition has red overtones of very ripe mixed with bags of black cherry fruit, leaf tobacco, warm spices and touch of oakiness; rich and earthy but elegant, well balanced and very long. Yum. (12 x 75 cl)