Alentejo
Located in the central southern portion of the country, to the east of Lisbon, the Alentejo region is separated from the rest of Portugal by the Tagus River. Most of this region enjoys a hot Mediterranean climate, however in more southerly aspects the climate becomes semi-arid. The vines are mostly located on geological substrates of plutonic rock, although some are grown on schistose and argilo-calcareous layers. As a result, Alentejo has begun to establish a reputation as one of the best up-and-coming winegrowing regions in terms of the stability and consistency of both quality and quantity of grapes grown here, which produce excellent rich red wines full of ‘jammy’ flavours.