Biogrape
This is a little piece of paradise. A chance to engage more fully with nature.
At Biogrape, Paulo Alves and his partner Afonso Meira produce Bucelas' first organic wine. 100% natural, every year has a different character. Never predictable and never banal.
If in France we found wild nature and in Spain a seraphic disconnection from the rest of the world, these impressions are stronger and even more authentic along the Atlantic coast of Portugal.
With its Mediterranean climate, the charm of this country is revealed in its reluctance to be overly refined and its most outstanding beauty spots are real, raw and spontaneous in character.
Kilometre after kilometre, you travel through lengthy stretches of emptiness; but when the destination finally unfolds before your eyes, you know it was well worth it.
There is more to Lisbon than the images we are so familiar with. In addition to its historic narrow streets, delightful wooden trams and iconic tiled facades, there is also a whole world besides: from the hidden surfing grounds of Sagres, to the underrated Alentejo wine region.
A short drive north of the Lusitanian capital, we discover the antechamber to this world. We follow an anonymous little road and enter a bucolic valley where the wind is fragrant with jasmine flowers, thyme and rosemary.
And here is Bucelas: an ancient place, just minutes away from the chaotic modernity of the 21st century.
Paulo Alves' smile welcomes us to Quinta Casal da Cruz.
The vitality, warmth and energy with which he greets us with are those of a friend you have not seen for a long time and with whom, following a long hug, would like to share your life story.
Simona's surprised question: "Do you two already know each other?" best sums it up for me.
Before us, the vineyards unfold along the slopes of the valley, while the wind envelops us with the scents of nature. “The Bucelas region is considered the capital of Arinto,” Paulo begins.
An Arinto totally removed from its cousin in the Azores, which here, together with the Esgana Cão grape, gives birth to a true wine masterpiece: À PARTE Branco.
“For centuries, Arinto was cultivated by Phoenicians and Romans," he emphasises as if he were a direct descendant, "and around the 18th century it was exported to the most important courts of all Europe”
À PARTE Branco is one of two extraordinary wines from Biogrape. Try it together with the winery's red to experience a world of sensations with every sip.
Looking at Paulo I think of the words of Sophie Cliff, practitioner of positive psychology, who says that joy and positivity are fundamental to leading a healthy and fulfilling life.
"The greatest predictor we have of joy is connection. We need to feel connected to experience joy: it's part of how we are wired as human beings."
Behold Paulo, a man 'wired' for this very place and life.
Our helmsman guides us between the rows. "This is a little paradise." - he tells us - "An opportunity for a richer engagement with nature, for a slower pace and a more joyful human connection. Here, neighbours still share the fruits of their labour, from meat to eggs, from fish to wine and vegetables. The way it used to be done, with respect for the environment and human relationships.”
Simona promptly declares she would like to move here.
What is taking place at Quinta Casal da Cruz is clearly the result of a distinct school of thought: Paulo and his partner Afonso Meira think of wine as food for the body and, for this reason, exclude any kind of non-natural intervention.
The wine of Biogrape is the first 100% natural, organic wine from Bucelas.
“Why should I buy and use chemicals?" - he asks puzzled- "There are products to give aroma to wine, to make it transparent, to increase the hint of smokiness and tobacco. This makes no sense to us."
He continues: "Why should wine always be the same? It doesn't have to be. It should evolve and change every year. It seems so strange to me to think of people always wanting the exact same thing."
In pursuit of making this school of thought a tangible reality, Paulo and Afonso studied, experimented and researched for 8 whole years. Years that were spent striving to obtain a wine that was "perfect" for them.
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Today these 6 hectares are the result of their philosophy of life and work.
Everything is done by hand in a completely natural way.
“We make wines for those who, in drinking them, experience the same pleasure as we do in making them," he continues, "And if we are not able to sell them...then we will drink them ourselves.”
Then, finally, the doors of the adega swing open before us like a curtain revealing the stage where Paulo can give full rein to his enthusiasm.
Like a child poised to unwrap his Christmas gifts to show his friends, armed with an Alzavino he moves deftly from one tank to another to let us sample “the most natural wine possible”.
We taste an Arinto unlike any we’ve ever tasted before.
Unfiltered but clear, it has a wonderful golden hue and we are struck by the acidity and fresh fruit.
"Wine is like art: interpretation is wholly subjective and that is why I will never tell you what you should taste in it." This is Paulo Alves.
Esgana Cão is another white grape indigenous to Bucelas and is the second wine we taste. More golden than the previous one and drier, altogether, but with a surprising flavour that evolves in the mouth.
On Paulo's advice, we keep a small amount in the glass to try a blend with the Arinto. The result is sensational. The colour remains golden. The two wines embrace and dance in the glass as the character of the two grapes blends perfectly.
It is the 'simple' version of the wine we will taste later from the bottle and we understood why it is called À PARTE.
It is something distant and remote.
In an almost forgotten valley, far from the centre of Lisbon.
A reality far removed from market constraints, large scale distribution and chemical adulteration. A small company that wishes to remain small. An adega with a deeply rooted identity.
When we go back outside, we follow Paulo to the upper floor, the side of the adega dedicated to hospitality, gathering with friends, barbecues and uncorking a few bottles of wine together. Design and style blend in a space created to make people feel at home.
À PARTE Branco is the first bottle we uncork: the white obtained from Arinto and Esgana Cão.
A golden yellow that dazzles like the rays of the morning sun. Some subtle citrus notes, good acidity, savouriness, minerality and a dry, elegant character.
This is a wine that brings people together to talk around a table, not one for sipping by the pool.
I gaze at the natural cork and the number it bears.
Paulo explains that it denotes the grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) absorbed by the cork itself.
The cork tree is required to absorb a great deal of CO2 to transform it into the energy needed to regrow its lost bark. The result is that for every tonne of cork harvested, the cork tree absorbs 70 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere. This means that a single cork represents 70 times its own weight in terms of carbon absorption.
It is always the details that make the difference.
With the Chorizo on fire in front of us and the cheeses continuing to pile up on the table, Paulo opens their red as we watch the spectacular sunset around us.
À PARTE Tinto is made from the grapes originating from their terrain in Alentejo: Aragonez, Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet, which undergo the same treatment as Arinto and Esgana Cão.
It is structured and elegant, with hints of black fruit, almonds and toasted bread.
It is a deceptive wine: its dark tones would never lead one to expect such a fresh, persistent and delicate wine.
It is a different wine: A Parte which in Portuguese means distinct and unto itself.
It becomes clear why Paulo and Afonso wish to pursue their philosophy. Every year the wine has a different character and each year brings a new discovery. Never predictable and never banal.
After all, when something is shiny but repetitive, it simply presents a reflection of the familiar rather than something new, beautiful and authentic.
When I ask him what his favourite wine is, he replies, smiling: "They are like our children: it would be Impossible to choose."
In saying our last goodbyes, we hug him like an old friend we hadn’t met for a long time and promised to see again soon.
No other population but the Portuguese has ever made us feel so at home, despite being so far from home.
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