Cabeças do Reguengo | Serra de São Mamede, Alentejo, Portugal
High-altitude Alentejo, with a wonderfully fresh perspective.
Respiro Altitude comes from three century-old vineyards, planted high in the Serra de São Mamede, where altitude brings a very different character to Alentejo. The vineyards are farmed organically, with biodynamic practices forming part of João Afonso’s approach to working with these old vines.
The wine is a field blend of indigenous Portuguese varieties, hand-harvested and naturally fermented before spending nine months in old oak. It’s bottled unfiltered and with low sulphites, keeping the wine fresh, vibrant and wonderfully expressive.
Think fresh citrus, herbs and a subtle green-olive note, with plenty of energy and a dry, refreshing finish. A little wine with a big sense of place.
Respiro Altitude 2022
WHAT IS IT?
A beautifully fresh, small-production white from three century-old vineyards high in the Serra de São Mamede. Organic, biodynamic and made with minimal intervention.
WHERE'S IT FROM?
DOC Alentejo Portalegre, Portugal
WHAT DOES IT GO WITH?
shellfish • seafood • stir-fries • grilled fish
WINE-O-DETAILS
Organic & Biodynamic | 12 % | Vegan Friendly | Field Blend
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Fresh and crisp, with plenty of citrus fruit, herbaceous character and subtle hints of green olive. There’s a lovely balance between freshness and texture, with a mineral edge and a clean, dry finish.
It has the brightness you’d expect from a high-altitude wine, but enough texture and savoury character to make it particularly interesting with food.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
The old vines are the starting point.
The grapes come from three century-old vineyards, planted at altitude in the Serra de São Mamede. The fruit is hand-harvested, pressed and allowed to undergo a spontaneous fermentation.
The wine then spends nine months in old oak barrels, developing texture and complexity without adding obvious oak flavour. It is bottled unfiltered, with low sulphur, keeping the winemaking deliberately gentle and allowing the character of these old vineyards to shine through.
The estate works organically and incorporates biodynamic practices, with a philosophy centred on healthy old vineyards, biodiversity and minimal intervention.
ABOUT THE PRODUCER
Cabeças do Reguengo is the project of João Afonso, whose approach to wine began in the 1990s and has always centred on old vineyards, organic farming, sustainability and minimal intervention.
The estate's wines come from centuries-old vineyards and are made with a strong belief that good wine starts with looking after the land. Biodynamic practices have been part of João's approach since the beginning of the 2000s, alongside organic production.
There’s something wonderfully individual about these wines: they’re not trying to make Alentejo look like anywhere else. They’re showing what these old, high-altitude vineyards can do.