In Alter do Chão, the Australian oenologist Peter Bright has selected the best Portuguese wine varieties to create a new world of wines from Alentejo.
A little over a decade ago, the “Sociedade Agrícola das Antas” and the “Sociedade Agrícola do Monte Barrão”, symbols of Alto Alentejo region, joined the oenologist Peter Bright to found the brand Terras d’Alter.
Peter bright had been a member of the first group of Australian “Flying winemakers” that had conquered Europe with high quality projects. He had already produced wine in other world regions such as South America but it was in Portugal that he felt the true inspirational appeal.
There, in the outskirts of Portalegre, lives the spirit of S. Mamede Mountain. The climate is either too hot or too cold, and the vineyards grow at remarkable altitudes for a region traditionally defined as a plain.
The area is well known by its delicate white wines, with tropical fruit and mineral aromas; and by its full-bodied with soft tannins and ripe red fruits aroma red wines.
The dominant wine varieties – Roupeiro, Arinto, Trincadeira, Aragonez and Alicante Bouschet – are enriched with a bunch of others – Viognier, Verdelho, Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Petit Verdot and Tinta Caiada – that elegantly fit the local peculiarities. The human hand and talent do the rest.
And how perfectly they get the job done: Terras d’Alter benefits of a well-equipped wine making centre, capable of ensuring a flawless temperature control all over the year. The handling of the grapes in small plots assures an outstanding portfolio that draws the critics’ enthusiasm and the consumers’ veneration.
Their Premium wines, made from the best handpicked grapes in selected vineyards, stand out: “Telhas” and “Outeiro” have been awarded in the International Wine Challenge, in the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, in the Mundus Vini; and have obtained 90 points or more in the pages of both the Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. These wines are elite creations that display the whole influence of the terroir and embellish Michelin restaurants in Portugal and in Great Britain and also the Lufthansa Senator Lounges.
Very close to them in what concerns quality, we have “Terra de Alter Reserva”, white and red, made to enhance the true nature of the Alto Alentejo wines. Their high quality grapes benefit from the process of aging in barrels and have been awarded countless international prizes.
The portfolio is completed with a selection of eight varietals and three harvests. The former are an invitation to the discovery of the unusual features that characterize the wine varieties of the region. The latter allow a quality current consumption at a very nice price.
The deep knowledge of the wine varieties, the selection of the finest grapes and the respect for the terroir characterize all the Terras d’Alter wines. And today Peter Bright proudly watches the triumph of the brand that represents his elected country.
