Vintage Character Bacalhoa 'Dom Martinho' Vinho Tinto 2022 shows the clearest blend shift of these three years: Alicante Bouschet became the lead variety at 52%, with 20% Aragonez, 15% Trincadeira and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate picked Aragonez and Trincadeira in mid-September, then the darker, later-ripening components near month-end. Heat and drought were widely reported across Alentejo in 2022, with smaller crops in some places. The high Alicante share and the separate picking windows put depth of colour and dark-fruit concentration at the centre of this release. Ageing in stainless steel without oak keeps the fruit character at the front, at 14% alcohol.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing The nose moves between ripe cherry, plum and blackberry, with a lightly preserved-fruit accent rather than prominent toast. On the palate the texture is soft and balanced, with enough freshness for food and a long, fruit-led finish. The wine is dry and intended for relatively youthful drinking. Roast pork, tomato-based pasta and a firm sheep's-milk cheese make practical partners: protein and fat soften the dark-fruit structure, while the tomato keeps the fruit lively.
Winery Background Dom Martinho takes its name from a Quinta do Carmo vineyard and sits apart from the estate's oak-aged reds. Rui Vieira vinified the four varieties separately in temperature-controlled stainless steel, with short post-fermentation contact to keep the fruit clear. The blended wine rested in tank for about six months with no oak ageing. That choice is the key to its identity: it presents the Alentejo varieties directly rather than through barrel spice. The old Quinta do Carmo property near Estremoz provides the setting, and this label is the approachable, fruit-centred red.