Paulistas 2020 and Chão dos Eremitas vineyard

Chão dos Eremitas Vineyard

Vineyard plantation year: 1970

Altitude: 256-267m

Soils: Granitoid with a strong presence of active limestone, and the pH of the soil is slightly basic.

Two streams bring rainwater from the Sierra keeping the ground cool in the torrid Alentejo heat, never lowering the water table below 5 meters, so there is no need for irrigation for the good development of the grapes. 

History: It was here that the vineyards were formerly planted, the place was known as the Chão of the Hermits, "Chão" ancient term for flat area, and of the "Hermits" referring to the monks Hermits of the order of St. Paul. Here there is evidence of uninterrupted wine production since the 14th century, the vineyard was so important that a Papal Bull in 1397 exempts the "Pauperes Hermitas" from paying tributes (taxes) on their vineyards. But archaeology goes further, as the discovery of the only Phoenician wine amphora in the interior of the country, dating from the 8th century BC, links this place to wine about 900 years before the arrival of the Romans, in what amounts to 3,000 years of wine-related history.

Protecting Heritage

Chão dos Eremitas, a natural reserve of vanished grape varieties

Following the work done in other regions, in the rehabilitation of extinct grape varieties, António continues his mission here.  A mission of conservation and recovery of lost grape varieties and the discovery of an old Alentejo, now almost gone. These grape varieties have been disappearing because they have little color and low alcohol content, which is so necessary in an increasingly hot Alentejo. 

Here, in Chão dos Eremitas, we preserve one of the few reservoirs of these almost extinct varieties: Alicante Branco, Trincadeira-das-Pratas and Tinta Carvalha, so that one day they will exist and can return to their rightful place in the blend of great Alentejo varieties.