Luís Louro Alento Reserva Tinto 2021
Member Price €20.48
Alentejo is Portugal’s poorest, least-populated region. But I reckon it’s one of the places with the biggest potential in the wine world.
It’s a huge, hot and dry region covering one-third of the country, and the ground is covered in similar red dirt to what you get in Coonawarra. It’s basically red wine heaven.
Winemaker Luís Louro is based in Estremoz, in the northern part of Alentejo and close to the Spanish border.
It’s slightly cooler and higher in altitude here, leading to more freshness and balance in the grapes. This is exactly why his wines are so deliciously drinkable.
This wine is a blend of three native Portuguese grapes (Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez and Touriga Nacional), plus a smidgeon of Syrah to give it an extra boost.
The wine is dark, rich, and smooth... everything you want in a big red. But because of Luís’ elevated vineyards there’s a lovely freshness to it as well - making it oh-so drinkable.
The value here is insane. Taste it and see why Portugal, and in especially Alentejo, is on the rise.
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Wine type |
Red |
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Grape(s) |
40% Alicante Bouschet, 35% Aragonez, 10% Touriga Nacional, 15% Syrah |
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Country |
Portugal |
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Region of origin |
Alentejo |
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Appellation |
IGP |
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Vintage |
2021 |
|
Alcohol % |
14 |
|
Oak? |
Yes |
|
Months in Oak |
12 |
|
Type of Oak |
300L French Oak Barrels - 20% new |
|
Allergens (e.g. Milk, Egg, Fish, Nuts) |
No |
|
Average age of vines |
20 years |
|
Average altitude of vines (m) |
350 |
|
Soil type(s) |
Schist and limestone |
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Closure Type |
Natural Cork |
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Is this wine organic? |
No |
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Biodynamic? |
No |
|
Sustainably produced? |
Yes, but not certified |
|
Suitable for vegans? |
Yes |
|
Ageing potential |
6-10 years |
|
Ideal drinking window |
2024 - 2030 |
I don’t know why, but Luis kind of flew under the radar when I worked with him at Naked. It might be because we had larger, more established players in our Portuguese range.
Or his really good stuff was just out of reach, price-wise. But with WineSpark’s business model, I realised his amazing wines could suddenly be affordable and attainable to normal people. And that’s exactly what it’s all about.
Locals would pair this with a stew of boiled pork and beef. You use the same water to cook the veg - cabbage, potatoes etc. It sounds dodgy but Luis says it works!
FOR IRELAND
We know how important it is to get your wine order quickly and efficiently. So we’ve partnered with UPS to offer next-day delivery on our wines.
Here’s what you need to know:
- It’s free - delivery is already included in the members' price
- It’s fast - you’ll get next-day delivery if you order before 12pm Monday-Thursday
- It’s environmentally-friendly - all of our orders are shipped carbon neutral with UPS.
€2 per case is added to all Northern Ireland orders to cover additional shipping costs. The point of sale occurs in the Republic of Ireland.
Our minimum order requirement is 6 bottles and we ship in multiples of 6’s. This can be 6 different bottles!
You may need to show your ID on delivery.
Please read our Terms & Conditions for more information.
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FOR UK
1. Order minimum & case sizes
We ship exclusively in full cases of wine. Your order must be a minimum of 6 bottles and in a multiple of 6 (for example 6, 12, 18 bottles).
2. Where we deliver
We deliver across Great Britain, with a small number of exceptions. Delivery is currently not available to the following locations:
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Channel Islands (GY, JE)
Please also note that some more remote areas take a little longer to reach. For the postcodes listed below, delivery may take 2–5 working days due to their location, and there is an additional £20 charge applied to these areas:
KA27, KA28, AB31–AB56, IV1–IV63, KW1–KW17, PH15–PH150, PA20–PA78, HS1–HS9, PH42–PH44, ZE1–ZE3, FK16–FK21,BT
3. Delivery timeframe
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Place your order by midday (12pm) Monday-Friday for next working-day delivery.
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Saturday delivery is available when you order by midday on Friday.
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If you order after midday, your delivery will fall on the next working day, and in some cases it may arrive sooner - but this is not guaranteed.
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Orders placed after 3pm on a Friday will be delivered on the following Tuesday.
4. Courier & delivery options
We use DPD Local for all deliveries with the default method as delivery to your address - handover required. You’ll receive text and/or an email notification to let you know your case has been shipped and another with your 1 hour delivery window, with both giving you the options to:
• leave in a safe place
• leave with a neighbour
• change the delivery day
• deliver to a different address
• deliver to a DPD Pickup ParcelShop
If you choose a safe place or a neighbour and the parcel is delivered to that place or person, responsibility passes to you from that point onwards.
5. Age verification
This site is for adults only. We operate a Challenge 25 age verification policy. When in doubt DPD will request valid photo ID on delivery to confirm you are 18 or over. Accepted ID includes a passport, driving licence or other recognised photographic ID.
6. Damaged goods in transit
If your case of wine is damaged during transit, we will be notified by DPD and will reorder and dispatch a replacement for you at the earliest opportunity and keep you updated throughout.
7. Returns once delivered
If you decide you need to return your order after it has been delivered, please get in touch with us and we will arrange a collection. Returns are handled on a case-by-case basis once you contact us.
8. General provisions
By placing an order you agree to these delivery terms. We may update or amend these terms from time to time - any changes will apply to orders placed after the update.