2021 Cartuxa EA Tinto

The legendary Cartuxa winery is named after the Carthusian monastery next to which it is located. That monastery was once purchased by the De Almeida family and is now back in the hands of the monastic order, but the founder of Cartuxa, Eugénio de Almeida, started growing grapes on the lands. And where the Carthusian monks lead an extremely austere and secluded life, the wines of Cartuxa are anything but. Rich, full-bodied and fruit-dominated wines, which are beautifully balanced and never become bulky. This applies to the entire range of wines that come from this 400-hectare wine estate: from the very affordable wines for every day to the iconic Pêra Manca.

The Cartuxa EA comes from the DOC Alentejo and comes from various vineyards of the Pinheiros, Casito, Álamo da Horta and Valbom domains located on a subsoil of granite, loam and slate. The winemaker of Cartuxa is the iconic Pedro Baptista (famous with his Cartuxa Pêra-Manca - the Peter of Portugal).

This EA Tinto is a blend of Aragonez (=Tempranillo), Trincadeira (=Malavasia), Alicante Bousquet and Syrah. This wine is made on the fruit and has no wood influences, so fermentation and maturation take place in stainless steel tanks and the result is an elegant and fruity smooth red wine. Not bombastic, heavy, high in alcohol but a fruit-dominated wine with ripe black fruit (blackberries, berries) in the nose, slightly peppery, somewhat spicy, slightly earthy with notes of undergrowth. Ripe tannins on the palate, fleshy structure with a pleasant slightly fruity, juicy aftertaste. Wonderful to simply enjoy all year round. We prefer to drink this red wine slightly chilled, around 14-15 degrees. The wine is delicious with charcuterie, rotisserie chicken, grilled sausages, roasted vegetables (peppers), classic pasta with red sauces (Bolognaise, Napolitana, Arrabiata), white cheese.