2024 'Mariana' Red, Herdade do Rocim

The Alentejo Love Letter

Juicy, polished and full of Alentejo warmth, this Portuguese red brings together ripe plum, blackberry and red cherry with a lovely lift of violets, dried herbs and sweet spice. The Touriga Nacional gives perfume and structure, Aragonez brings soft red fruit, Alicante Bouschet adds colour and depth, while Trincadeira lends a gently savoury, herbal edge.

The palate is smooth and inviting, with vibrant freshness, rounded tannins and a supple fruit-led finish. Six months in French oak adds a quiet note of chocolate and spice without weighing the wine down, leaving it generous, modern and very easy to enjoy around a good table.

For When: the evening wants a smooth, generous red with warmth, freshness and a little Portuguese romance.
Pairs with: grilled pork, roast lamb, beef skewers, tomato-rich pasta, mushroom dishes, cured cheeses or smoky aubergine.
If this wine were...: a handwritten love letter left beside a glass of red in the warm Alentejo dusk.

Herdade do Rocim is based between Vidigueira and Cuba, in the Lower Alentejo, where warm southern days are balanced by the cooling influence of Atlantic breezes along the Vidigueira fault. Led by Catarina Vieira and Pedro Ribeiro, the estate has become known for fresh, elegant wines that show a lighter touch in a region often associated with power. Mariana takes its name from the story of Mariana Alcoforado, giving this supple red a romantic thread that feels entirely at home in Alentejo.