Herdade dos Grous
Alentejo, Portugal
Their Story
This magnificent country estate is nestled in the beautiful countryside just 11 miles from Beja. Herdade dos Grous, meaning “Estate of the Cranes”, is 1700 acres of olive groves, cork oak forests, and organically-farmed vineyards. Led be the charismatic Luis Duarte, the only person who has twice been named Portugal’s Winemaker of the Year.
Herdade dos Grous produces striking wines, as far as we’re concerned. But they go beyond that… Luis combines traditional methods with new technologies, maintaining a brutally transparent protocol (one that I never get tired of listening to) as his guide. Timeless practices coupled with deeply ethical guiding principals rooted in the holistic preservation of the estate’s precious ecosystem are what make it a thrill to continue sharing Herdade Dos Grous’s story to anyone who will listen.
Founded: 1987
Owner: Luis Duarte
Winemaker: Aurora García
Annual Production: 40,000 cases
Winery Location: Alentejo
Vineyard: 73 hectares sustainable farmed
How We Met
This was one of those brilliant finds that can only happen with either luck or a ton of elbow grease. At the time, we needed a rockstar Portuguese producer that ideally, was unknown in the States; so on a frantic Monday in Dusseldorf, four of us fanned out like sneaky scouts all over Iberian Hall 10. It worked. Not only was Herdade dos Grous absolutely sublime, but Luis is probably the nicest winemaker on Earth. His Alentejano entry blend… I’d probably make my house wine if I could, while his compelling Reserva stands up to the very best wines I’ve had the privilege of working with over the years.
Quick Facts on Do Alentejo
HISTORY: Portugal has long been a major supplier to England but after two damaging wars and being hit by phylloxera in the late 1800’s it was harder for the dry wines to enter into the world market. This is finally changing and we are seeing great strides.
TODAY: The market continues to expand and garner excitement for the great dry wines of Portugal. Look for wines of great value and depth of flavor.
TERROIR: The climate is Mediterranean, with hot dry summers and mild winters; the most inland parts of the region have the most extreme temperatures. Annual rainfall is around 20-30 inches, mainly falling in autumn and winter. The landscape is generally made up of plains and gentle slopes though there are mountains in the north, south and east of the region. There is a wide range of soils, including granite, schist and limestone with textures that range from sand to clay.