Herdade do Rocim Mariana White 2019
The Mariana White is a richly flavoured and aromatic wine with exuberant tropical and herbal notes complemented by a lovely citrus freshness on the zesty finish.
Producer Note - Herdade do Rocim is an estate located between Vidigueira and Cuba, in the Lower Alentejo. It comprises 120 hectares, 70 of which are made up of vineyards and 10 hectares of olive trees. Since its inception in 2000, Herdade do Rocim has invested heavily in the vineyards, replanting vines and introducing new varieties. They are pioneers in 'amphora wines', following the ancient traditions of vinification in pots known as 'Tahla'. The vineyard is cultivated manually and minimal intervention is used in the cellar, to produce fresh, elegant and mineral wines. In 2018, Herdade do Rocim was awarded Best Wine Producer by Revista de Vinhos.
Vintage - The 2019 vintage began with a warm spring which encouraged an early bud-burst. Ideal weather during flowering stimulated good yields. The summer saw excellent ripening conditions, with warm, dry days promoting ripening and reducing the risk of disease in the vineyards. Rainfall at the end of August revitalised the vines for the final stages of ripening and the grapes picked were of excellent quality.
Vineyard - Herdade do Rocim is associated with the Sustainable Program of the Alentejo Viticulture. This wine is made from organically grown grapes; 70% of the vineyard is certified and the remaining 30% is in conversion. The estate is situated on the Vidigueira fault, a 30 mile long east-west facing escarpment which rises to 420 metres. The fault significantly influences the climate, trapping the cool, humid Atlantic winds, so despite its southern location it is one of the most temperate sub regions in the Alentejo. These cooling and humid influences descend at night, creating diurnal temperature differences of 15°C which extend the ripening period; with the warm days concentrating the flavours in the grapes, while balancing natural acidity is retained during the cool nights. The soils are of granitic and schistous origin. The water level in the soil is rich and superficial, nourishing the vines during the warm summers. All grapes are manually harvested.
Winemaking - Made following a philosophy of minimal intervention, the grapes were cold macerated to extract aromatics and flavour. Fermentation took place in small stainless steel vats at 16°C with natural yeasts. The wine was aged in stainless steel tanks for five months to retain the purity of fruit and to showcase the Vidigueira terroir.
Tasting Note - Mariana White wines is rich in fruit with exuberant tropical notes this shows lovely freshness and minerality. Well textured on the palate with vibrant balancing acidity, through to a lively finish.
Grape: Antão Vaz 60%, Arinto 30%, Alvarinho 10%
Winemaker: Pedro Ribeiro & Catarina Vieira
Region: Alentejo
Sub region: Alentejo
Country: Portugal
Alcohol: 12.5%
Dry/Sweet value: 1 (1 is dry, 7 is very sweet)
Residual Sugar: 4.2
Contains Sulphites: Yes
Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Milk/Eggs: No/No
Organic: No
Biodynamic: No
The technical information on this wine is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. This information may be subject to change according to vintage.