Antão Vaz Grape Variety | Southern Portugal’s Gold
It is a wonderful thing that you can still find, today, the roman way of producing wine in Vila de Frades, Vidigueira, Portugal. That happens for a very specific reason... The amphora wine - roman wine or “vinho de talha” as is known in portuguese - being one of the features of Alentejo´s Wine Sub-Region of Vidigueira/weblink was only allow to persist through many centuries, thanks to the success of the Antão Vaz grape variety.
It is natural to say, then, that both their histories (“talha” wine and Antão Vaz) are intertwined.
The evidence for this is the fact that the oldest wine cellar in western iberia is to be found in São Cucufate roman ruins/weblink (to be visited in Vila de Frades) proving that this was not only an incredible terroir romans knew about, but also that it was still so prestigious in the 16th century that Vasco da Gama - portuguese sailor that completed the sea route to India - was made 1st Earl of Vidigueira precisely because it was seen as a prized and exclusive land, worth to be given by the Portuguese king in recognition for outstanding and still lasting services...
So what is so special about the Antão Vaz grape variety?
Antão Vaz was made into a popular white grape because of its high resistance to drought and disease. Being Alentejo the hottest region in Portugal (also the driest one) Antão Vaz became, therefore, the star of Alentejo, specifically in the areas of Vidigueira and Évora. The grape is a genetic cross between a white and a red Portuguese grape, Cayetana blanca and João Domingos, respectively, the latter of those being extinct in Portugal.
Its versatility allows various styles of wines to be made. This will depend on the specific microclimates, the conditions of the growing season, or when the winemaker decides to conduct harvest of the vineyard. If picked earlier (around August) , it produces vibrant wines with exotic aromas and a firm palate with balanced acidity. However, if left on the vine until later in the season, the wines will be higher in alcohol with more perfumed aromas and a fuller body. More ripened Antão Vaz grapes are better suited for barrel aging (which does not come often when speaking of white wines). Varietal wines are light yellow and can be light to medium-bodied and lower in acidity with aromas and flavors of tropical fruits, tangerine-peel, and citrus, with nuttier notes in those wines that have been aged.
Antão Vaz is usually blended with other native Portuguese grapes such as Arinto and Roupeiro that add more acidity to the wine. This grape is also permitted and often used in the production of white Port.
About the Antão Vaz terroir...
In the vineyard, Antão Vaz is a thick-skinned grape that forms big, loosely packed bunches. It needs dry, deep soil. It is a relatively easy grape for growers and produces consistently reliable yields that ripen evenly. Most often, Antão Vaz is picked in mid-August to preserve its acidity. If it is picked later in the season, it will produce a wine with much higher alcohol content.
… and with foods it can be paired with…
When it comes to food pairings and Antão Vaz, we should think of fish, chicken, and vegetables! Antão Vaz varietal wines are low in acidity, but when blended with grape varieties such as Arinto can have much higher, firmed acidity and structure, which make them excellent food-pairing wines. Grilled tuna steaks and Portuguese Bacalhau (regardless of the way it is prepared) are good options for native white grape wines. Additionally, fresh summer salads and Asian dishes are possible accompaniments to Antão Vaz wines.