Miguel Louro grew up on the vineyards of a legendary producer, Quinta do Mouro — his father’s property. Influenced by the passion for great wines, he defined his own path, that lead him to Douro, to Germany and to Italy. Today, he’s the enologist for S.A. Prum, in the Mosel region, in Germany, but pays tribute to Estremoz, the land that holds his heart, in a personal project that already gathered the unanimity of approvement and appraisers.
In 5 hectares of vineyards planted over schist soils, in a torrid, continental climate, young vines grow, in one of Alentejo’s most privileged terroirs, in the outskirts of Estremoz. This is a land well-known by Miguel Louro, where he grew amongst the best vines of the region and arose for the ancestral techniques of wine production, taught by his father — his counterpart and indispensable personality of the Alentejo wines.
Louro thrives as a successfull enologist in an international career, but it is in Estremoz that he finds, as son of the land, an allure that combines the respect for the old ways with a heated desire for innovation. The project he started in 2010, already came true as a vineyard and as two wines — Apelido and Primeiro Nome: authentic creations, without cover-ups or addictives, that seek the truth in the wines and the terroir, without any props. This approach of a minimal intervention, valueing of the vine and of a sustainable production, result in wines of great character, fresher, with a lower alcohol content that lure the experts.
The white Apelido is a seven caste blend, in which the predominant ones are the Arinto, the Alvarinho and the Verdelho. Presents a noticeable freshness and minerality, and an aromatic complexity in which can be found a wide range of fruits (tangerine, pineapple, melon, mulberries), combined with polen and aromatic herbs. Very lively, stern and acidic on the mouth, with a long finish. Gastronomic wine, pairs sublimely with goosebarnackles and seafood of delicate aromas.
The red Apelido, is a mix of castes well adjusted to the region — Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Aragonês, Alicante Bouschet — in an intense ruby colour with a sour cherry, plum, blueberry aroma, with eucalyptus and spice notes. Meaty on the mouth, with good texture, mature and fine tanins, excellent acidity and a long-lasting finish.
In this small but interesting portfolio, the 1º Nome deserves to be highlighted, having been classified with 17 points by Grandes Escolhas magazine. A wine with a complex aroma, predominated by citric and green apple notes. It harmoniously combines Rabigato, Gouveio, Arinto and Alvarinho castes, in a French oak fermentation, with a staging of eight months over fine lees. The result is a prodigy of freshness, elegance and minerality that pairs with a wide range of dishes like cheeses, fish, grilled meats or baked cod.
Enriched by the listing of a vast professional experience, boosted by the bond to the land and terroir that witnessed his birth, Miguel Louro, blessedly chose Estremoz to experiment, invest and pursue his passion. Wines full of personality and truth, that define the future of this fascinating region.
