Monte Branco Trincadeira 2021

Deep, with a slight earthy note, hints of dried grass and undergrowth, moss, and wet stone minerals. It has just enough structure, plenty of freshness on the palate, tannins present but smooth and polished, and slight bitterness. A distinctive wine with plenty of character, reminiscent of the old Alentejo.

The Wine Advocate
RP 93
Reviewed by: Luis Gutierrez

I tasted two vintages of the Trincadeira varietal from two plots planted in 2001, one in shale soil and the other in limestone, the oldest of which was Trincadeira 2021. It was harvested in a cooler year, resulting in less ripeness and greater freshness. Like the 2022 vintage, which I tasted next, it was fermented in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts and aged for a year in 300-liter neutral barrels. It presents the typical profile of the variety — fragrant, earthy, slightly rustic — and is fresher, with finer tannins and a more restrained ripeness. A total of 3,200 bottles were produced. The wine was bottled in July 2023.

Luis Louro is the son of Miguel Louro, from Quinta do Mouro. He created Adega Monte Branco in 2004, in Estremoz, after two years buying land, planting and acquiring vineyards. He does not use herbicides and has increasingly focused on local grape varieties. He works a total of 28 hectares divided into five plots, all in Estremoz, the oldest of which was planted in 1993.