ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Herdade do Rocim
Herdade do Rocim is located in the Lower Alentejo region, in the southern half of Portugal, between Vidigueira and Cuba. It spreads on 100 hectares, 60 of which are under vine.
The Rocim estate was purchased by the late Jose Vieira. His daughter, Catarina Vieira, is in charge of the development of the estate. She has a degree in Agronomical Engineering and a post-graduate course in Enology. Her husband, Pedro Ribiero, is the General Manager of the estate. He has studied Enology at UTAD (University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro), and worked with the Hardy’s Wine Company in Australia. He contributes to the winemaking decisions, as well as running the sales and business affairs of the estate. With the birth of their son, Jose, Catarina and Pedro look forward to carrying on the family business into the next generation.
Since purchasing, they have invested greatly in the land by completely regenerating the vineyards and building a new state of the art winery. With a complete overhaul of the vineyards, they were able to plant higher-quality varietals, including international grapes such as Syrah and Cabernet, as well as the indigenous and local varieties. They have also recently started to produce olive oil from 90-year-old trees, with the intention of recapturing the traditions of the region, which is dotted with olive trees.
Rocim sits on the Vidigueira fault, a natural landmark which marks the border between the Upper and Lower Alentejo. The East-West facing escarpment of around 50 kilometers in length defines the climate of Vidigueira, and, despite its deep-lying southern location, makes it one of the most temperate sub-regions in the Alentejo. This facilitates the domaine’s goal of showcasing the region’s terroir while producing fresh, elegant, and mineral driven wines.
Outside of the Alentejo, Vale da Mata is the name of a small vineyard located on the slopes of the Serra de Aire hills, in Cortes, where Caterina’s grandfather, Manuel believes he produced the best wine of his many years as a winemaker. Vale da Mata thereby recovers a family tradition and celebrates the return of good wines to a very special land.
A bit more about Alentejo’s region: Alentejo is sparsely populated and, in contrast to the rest of Portugal, has many large estates. The climate is continental, with hot summers and cold winters. Having fairly reliable weather combined with the large plots of available land equates to quality at an affordable price. Wheat is the most important crop grown here, but olive trees, cork trees and vineyards are all important agriculture here as well. Wines from Alentejo are becoming popular as consumers realize the great opportunities available here, and quality is improving exponentially. It is thought to be the new world inside the old world, with highly professional wineries using a scientific approach while respecting the terroir.
