Catarina Vieira & Pedro Ribeiro
Herdade do Rocim
Arriving with a bang, Herdade do Rocim was founded in 2000 by entrepreneur José Ribeiro Vieira of Movicortes Group. Built in 2007, the arresting modern winery in Alentejo’s Vidigueira sub-region made waves, as did the maiden release, Grande Rocim Alicante Bouschet 2007, a statement red made by José’s daughter Catarina Vieira, with consultancy from António Ventura.
Due south 50km, another Alentejo newcomer was winning plaudits. Reinfried Pohl, a German mutual fund magnate, launched Herdade dos Grous wines in 2004 with winemaker Pedro Ribeiro. Like Vieira, Ribeiro cut his teeth on a ‘start-from-scratch project’, learning his craft from acclaimed winemaker Luís Duarte.
Introduced by a mutual friend in 2006, the young winemakers gradually discovered they had much more in common. The music and art lovers had independently attended the same exhibitions and concerts and hung out at the same bars. They became a couple in 2010 and, in 2013, Ribeiro joined Herdade do Rocim.
With shared values and a shared cultural aesthetic, says Vieira, the move came about organically as they discussed her work more intently after her father’s death in 2012. Feeling they could achieve more together, the couple devised a business strategy, with the help of her father’s business associates. ‘Two winemakers could have been a recipe for chaos,’ reflects Ribeiro, ‘so it forced us to have goals.’
Initially, he admits, working together was tricky. ‘Each with strong ideas, we clashed a lot; I’m very fast and into shortcuts; Catarina is a perfectionist.’ Vieira responds: ‘My father always said that without information you can only react, but with information you can make decisions. So I push him to look in a deeper way.’
Ribeiro credits Vieira’s attention to detail with producing better results and inspiring him to make new wines (Rocim now produces 28 labels, including an innovative, clay-aged wine range). Meanwhile, Ribeiro’s focus on winemaking and promotion has freed up Vieira to pursue her passion for viticulture. ‘We’re totally aware of each other’s work, but just separate actually doing it,’ he observes.
Together, they have made Rocim a hub for amphora wine culture. Nearly 1,000 people attended Rocim’s inaugural 2018 Amphora Wine Day. This showcase for Portuguese and international producers has expanded their sphere of influence, as has their new import and distribution business for talha wines. ‘We were two kids in the beginning and it was stressful,’ says Ribeiro, ‘but we put Rocim on the map and now share the successes. It’s a very personal project.’
Herdade do Rocim, Olho de Mocho Vinho Branco, Alentejano 2019 93
£17 Hallgarten Wines
With cool, humid nights, the Antão Vaz variety thrives in Vidigueira, in the Beja district. This ageworthy, structured example hails from Rocim’s oldest vines. Intensely flavoursome, with attractive pungency and piquant saltiness, it reveals pine resin, pine nuts and oilskin, nuanced dried pineapple and dried mango fruit, cut with pithy grapefruit and lemon acidity. Fermenting and ageing in barrel and concrete following 24 hours’ skin contact accentuates complexity and freshness. Drink 2021-2030 Alc 12.5%
Herdade do Rocim, Crónica #328 José Ribeiro Vieira Reserva Tinto, Alentejo 2015 95
£120 Hallgarten Wines
Built to last, with inky, bold, concentrated fruit and terrific structure, this charismatic 1,256-bottle release commemorates Rocim’s founder José Ribeiro Vieira. Inspired by Ribeiro’s time in Australia, it was barrelfermented, then aged 36 months in 500L French oak barrels. Lifted, savoury cured leather nuances to the dark currant, berry and dried fig fruit, with ripe, mouthcoating tannins, gravel, graphite and cedar. Intense, salt-licked finish. Drink 2021-2036 Alc 14.5%
Herdade do Rocim, Grande Rocim Reserva, Alentejo 2017 94
£75 Hallgarten Wines
Loaded with fresh, well-defined, juicy blackberry fruit along with china ink and violet lift, mint, mulch and tobacco pouch layers fleshing out the spicy, bony tannins that lend sinew, a touch of grip, to the lingering, tapered finish. The flavour profile is at the classic, drier Alicante Bouschet end of the spectrum. Wearing its 15% alcohol with ease, this precise red has the freshness, balance and line to age gracefully.
Drink 2021-2032 Alc 15%
Herdade do Rocim, Fresh from Amphora, Alentejano 2020 90
£20.99/100cl Hallgarten Wines, Loki Wine, Strictly Wine This is a spicy, joyous vin de soif blend of traditional grapes, naturally fermented and aged on skins in amphora for two months. Pale burgundy, with sapid red cherry and berry fruit, lifted dried herbs, smoke and chocolate riffs and a lick of dusty terracotta. It proceeds at a nice clip, with fresh acidity and crunchy pomegranate. Served lightly chilled, and the litre bottle will be finished before you know it. Drink 2021-2023 Alc 12% D
‘Two winemakers could have been a recipe for chaos. Each with strong ideas, we clashed a lot’
--------------------------- Pedro Ribeiro