Richard Mayson, alumni of the Wine Society and acknowledged expert on the wines of Portugal and Port, owns Quinta do Centro near Portalegre. The quinta sits some 500-560 metres up in the hills of the Alentejo and he runs it under the umbrella of his partnership with winemaker and consultant Rui Reguinga.
Here, close to the highest point in southern Portugal and abutting the São Mamede National Park, the 20-hectare property lies on poor, well-drained, predominantly granite soils with some schist, and enjoys a slightly higher average rainfall than much of the rest of the Alentejo.
The size of the estate is unusual in this neck of the woods where most holdings are fragmented, and 12.5 hectares are vineyard with the rest made up of cork oaks and olive trees.
Quinta do Centro
Trincadeira, aragonez, alicante bouschet, grand noir (a teinturier grape from a crossing of petit bouschet and aramon), cabernet sauvignon, touriga nacional, syrah and viognier are all planted and the wines made here are all blends.