The impressive wines of Herdade do Rocim and its associated projects, among Portugal’s best
Website: https://rocim.pt/en/
This was a tasting of some of the wines of Herdarde do Rocim and their associated wineries, presented by winemaker Pedro Ribeira just before the amphora wine day 2025.
Rocim’s main estate is in Vidigueira, classically a white wine area, known for its freshness. But Rocim also have vineyards in Douro, Dão and Lisboa. ‘Our focus is finding freshness in all the regions we work,’ says Pedro Ribeiro.
‘For many years phenolic ripeness was a thing for winemakers, but I’m not afraid of it,’ says Pedro. ‘If we wait for phenolic ripeness we lose everything else. So I pick very early.’
‘The main reason for freshness in Vidigueira is granite soils,’ he says. ‘Most of the rest of the Alentejo is clay-based soils. And the hills here catch all the wind from the flat Alentejo, cooling the vineyards down.’
Vale da Mata Branco 2024 VR Lisboa, Portugal
12% alcohol. A vineyard planted in the 1970s by Catarina Viera’s grandfather, in Alta Estremadura, Lisbon. It’s a blend of Arinto, Vital and Viosinho. Fermented and aged in a 2000 litre vat. This is bright, linear and fruity with focused citrus fruit and a hint of pithiness. It is a bit salty on the finish with a tapering finish. Nice precision here. 93/100
Olho de Mocho Branco 2024 Vidigueira, Alentejo
12% alcohol. 75 year old vineyard with Antão Vaz and two red varieties. Picked at the beginning of August. This was the first wine that Rocim made. Fresh, lively and juicy with taut citrus fruit but also a bit of pear and melon richness. Has nice intensity and juicy acidity with some pleasant bitter notes on the finish. Real focus and vitality here, but also some depth, finishing a bit mineral. 93/100
Fresh From Amphora Branco NatCool 2024 Vidigueira, Alentejo
11% alcohol. Perrum, Rabo de Ovelha and Manteúdo, made in amphora but not on the skins until 11 November: as soon as fermentation is done it’s pressed to stainless steel. This is linear, fresh, stony and bright with lovely lemony fruit and a bit of saltiness on the finish. Very expressive with a lovely stony finish. 93/100
Quinta da Pedragosa Branco 2024 Lagos, Algarve
12.5% alcohol. A joint venture between Rocim and Quinta da Pedragosa. This is a windy part of the Algarve that’s cool. This small estate is on a hill and it’s very rocky with limestone soils. Lots of Atlantic influence here. It’s on the western corner of the Algarve. Arinto and Malvasia, fermented in old 500 litre barrels. Richness and depth here, but also freshness. Bold pear and melon fruit with some spicy lemon, and then a nice acid line that keeps everything in line. Juicy and crystalline with lovely energy and brightness. Such salty presence on the finish: I really like this. 94/100
Herdade do Rocim O Estrangeiro Branco 2024 Dão
This is one of Pedro’s favourite regions. They bought this vineyard in 2021, after making the wine here in 2020. This is a field blend of varieties from a Nelas vineyard planted in 1961, on granite soils. Fermented and aged in 500 litre barrels. There’s some depth and richness here with pear and peach, as well as a touch of citrus. Really nice elegance and tension, with a good balance between richness and freshness, and a tapering finish. Quite crystalline. 94/100
Herdade do Rocim Bela Luz Branco 2024 Cima Corgo, Douro
This comes from Pedro’s family: he bought the vineyard from his cousins. It is 95 years old, mainly reds, 15 varieties, with 6 or 7 white varieties. 5 ha. Mainly Arinto, Rabigato and Malvasia. In Cima Corgo. 12 h in press then fermented and aged in used 500 litre barrels. This is fresh and lively with amazing tension, as well as crystalline citrus fruit. There’s some pear and apricot in the mix, with great acidity, showing a wide dynamic range and a lovely linear finish. 94/100
Bojador Talha Branco 2024 Vidigueira, Alentejo
11.5% alcohol. This is a personal project that Pedro started in 2008, and he has almost 30 hectares of vines in Vidiguera and less than a hectare in Portalegre. This is a traditional vinho de talha. The main rule is that the wine needs to be on the skins until November 11, but this law was made when people were harvesting in October, not the beginning of August! He takes 75% of skins off after fermentation and leaves 25% of skins to stay within the law. Vivid, stony and bright with high acidity. Juicy and vivid with taut lemony fruit and a wet stone mineral character. Long, salty finish. Such a bright, tensile wine. 93/100
Fresh From Amphora Tinto NatCool 2024 Vidigueira, Alentejo
This is from an old vineyard with Moreto, Trincadeira and Tinto Grossa (makes light, fresh reds with low colour, just 10 ha left). Fermented in amphora, then pressed to stainless steel. Just a small sulfite addition before bottling. Supple, juicy, tart and delicious with cranberry, raspberry and wild strawberry notes. Nice richness, but also lovely freshness with tart acidity. It’s elegant and rounded, but has some bite on the finish. Lovely juicy energy. 94/100
Herdade do Rocim O Estrangeiro Tinto 2023 Dão
13.5% alcohol. Mainly three grapes: Baga, Alfrocheiro and Touriga Nacional. Planted in 1961 as a field blend. Fermented in concrete eggs and 80% aged in 500 litre barrels and 20% in concrete. This is fresh and juicy but also concentrated. Really fresh and fine with beautiful cherry and raspberry fruit, showing nice stoniness. Supple and elegant with real presence and good acidity. Tart and energetic: I really like this. Such density with freshness. And structure from both acid and tannin. 95/100
Bojador Talha Tinto 2024 Vidigueira, Alentejo
12% alcohol. On skins (25% of them) until January. No added sulfites. This has sweet and sour acid line, with juicy red cherries and raspberries, and some sour notes on the finish. This is a little wild and extreme, with a touch of vinegar in the mix, finishing tart and edgy. This is interesting but for my palate it is a little too wild with the volatile acidity, although in a mealtime context I think I’d really like it. 92/100
Herdade do Rocim Crónica #328 José Ribeiro Vieira 2022 Vidigueira, Alentejo
14% alcohol. Named after Catarina’s father who wrote 327 cronicas in the newspaper so this is no 328. Made in barrels: take five 500 litres, take the tops off, and ferment in the barrel. The vineyard was planted in the 1970s, and the maceration is gentle, but it still makes a big bold wine. Picked early. Trincadeira gives freshness and spice, and Aragonez gives fruit and richness. Aged two years in barrel. This is rich, layered, concentrated and vivid with lovely sweet black cherry and blackberry fruit. Good concentration here, but also some tannin and nice acidity. Such presence and intensity here with some stony mineral character. This could age nicely. 95/100
Farol do Bojador 2021 Vidigueira, Alentejo
13.5% alcohol. The best wine from the Bojador project, 95 year old vineyard, 20 varieties including some white, all mixed. Bought in 2019, and made this first Foral in 2021, and it hasn’t been made since then. He picks a little later than normal, in late September. It’s bush vines, so the grapes are shaded a bit, and mature later. Lots of Trincadeira here. This is fresh, juicy, focused and concentrated with great acidity and good structure. The tannins are firm and the fruit has a lovely linear quality with cherry and raspberry, and real crunch. Angular but delicious, showing a strong personality, but always fresh, delicious and inviting. 95/100
