Uncondemned Pinhel 2021

Producer: Luis Sousa & Andre Pereira

Region: Beira Interior, Portugal

Style: Red

Taste: Fresh red fruit, including sour cherry, cranberry and wild strawberry, with darker plum, dried fig and gentle spice.

Grapes: Marufo, Rufete, Trincadeira, Baga and Fernão Pires, alongside other unidentified varieties from the old mixed vineyard

Agriculture: Organic, Vegan

Year: 2021

ABV: 12%

Size: 75cl

The label features playful rabbit illustrations inspired by medieval art. The name Uncondemned reflects the project’s aim to preserve Portugal’s ancient vineyards, saving old vines that might otherwise be pulled up and lost.

Uncondemned Pinhel comes from very old vineyards in Portugal’s Beira Interior region, where the vines are around a century old. The grapes are harvested by hand from mixed plantings of traditional Portuguese varieties, including Rufete and Marufo, alongside others that have never been identified.

The grapes ferment naturally in open concrete vats, without a lining, before the wine is pressed and moved into closed concrete tanks for four months. It then finishes ageing in stainless steel. No fining or filtration is used, and sulphur dioxide is kept low, with just 24mg/L added.

The name Uncondemned reflects the idea behind the project: saving neglected old vineyards that might otherwise be abandoned or uprooted. These plots preserve a piece of Portugal’s winemaking heritage, along with grape varieties and mixed plantings that are becoming increasingly rare.