Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

Aliança has belonged to the Bacalhôa group for some time now. It has successfully maintained and refined its very own identity. Although it produces wines in other wine-growing areas, it mostly identifies with Bairrada, and that is where it’s located.

While Aliança sparkling wines convey the company’s prestige and market acknowledgement, their Bairrada wines have shown gradual growth, and are asserted today as excellent wines from a region that freed itself from its ties to now travel far and wide, full speed ahead, always headed for quality. Aliança brandies continue resting in the depths of the cellars, taking their time, yet continually delivering the same extraordinary quality.

Aliança Underground Museum – Photo Provided by Aliança Vinhos de Portugal | All Rights Reserved

Aliança Underground Museum – Photo Provided by Aliança Vinhos de Portugal | All Rights Reserved

In a recent visit, we took an interesting walk round the cellars and round the revolutionary museum, which they call Aliança Underground Museum. It lodges hundreds of amazing pieces of the owner’s vast collection, which are well worth the visit. Many wines they produce and store in the cellars share this cultural trip.

It is also where sparkling wines are undisputed rulers, as you would expect, even judging by the number of ageing bottles. Down the low, dark halls covered in mould that build up the constant dampness, which – along with low temperatures and a small thermal interval – offer the best conditions for these wines to develop with natural gas.

The brandies fill up the lowest part of the cellars, where an incredible amount of very old wooden casks encase them inside that surreal atmosphere.

We tried none other than the house’s wines and bubblies in a very interesting tasting led by Francisco Antunes, the company’s director of oenology and a big expert in the region, with many years of experience in producing both still and sparkling wines; he is addicted to hunting, and is always in a contagiously good mood.

Aliança Reserva 2014 white – Photo Provided by Aliança Vinhos de Portugal | All Rights Reserved

Aliança Reserva 2012 red – Photo Provided by Aliança Vinhos de Portugal | All Rights Reserved

We began with Aliança Branco Reserva 2014 (white), made of Maria-Gomes, Bical and Arinto – a warrior wine. Citrus yellow, crystal-clear, a lot of white fruit on the nose, a little floral, very elegant. On the mouth, it’s dry, very refreshing, citrusy, medium-bodied – a modern wine. It makes a great choice at €2,15 a bottle. We move on to Aliança Tinto Reserva 2012 (red), made with Baga, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz. A lot of fruit, a lot of freshness, and youth. On the mouth, it’s intense, persistent, maintains quite a few notes of ripe fruit, and tamed yet very present tannins – a food-friendly wine.

Aliança Baga 2009 red – Photo Provided by Aliança Vinhos de Portugal | All Rights Reserved

Aliança Rosé Baga-Bairrada Bruto – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

The Aliança Tinto Baga 2009 revealed all of the Baga variety’s aromatic excellence. It’s intense and has a lot of fruit and notes of jam; it’s round, has good volume on the mouth, very ripe red fruits, powerful and very well defined tannins, excellent acidity and a long finish. A beautiful wine that already tastes very good, but will age very well and for many years. We move on to the bubbly wines, starting off with Aliança Rosé Baga-Bairrada Bruto, a buzzing product in the market. Of a very soft salmon-pink and very small bubbles, it proved very elegant on the nose, a little floral, and with notes of red fruits. On the mouth, it’s dry, with excellent acidity, beautiful structure and a lot of elegance – a modern sparkling wine.

Aliança Baga-Bairrada Bruto 2013 – Photo Provided by Aliança Vinhos de Portugal | All Rights Reserved

Aliança Bruto Vintage 2010 – Photo Provided by Aliança Vinhos de Portugal | All Rights Reserved

Next followed Aliança Baga-Bairrada Bruto 2013, a citrusy, crystal-clear drink, with small, very elegant bubbles. On the nose, it revealed notes of green apples, a few nuts and toast. On the mouth, impressive freshness and vibrant acidity; dry, intense, lightly toasted notes and a long and delicious finish – an excellent Bairrada wine. We ended the tasting with a classic, the Aliança Bruto Vintage 2010 of lightly toasted shade of yellow and very small bubbles building a persistent bead; an exotic nose with notes of nuts, walnuts, toast, and nutmeg. On the mouth, it’s powerful, dry, very complex, of intense acidity, voluminous, full, creamy, and with an everlasting finish – an excellent sparkling wine.

Petingas and carapauzinhos – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Codfish buns, and suckling pig rissoles – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

We move on to the table, where we tasted a few of these wines, which accompanied a range of appetisers – petingas [small sardines] and carapauzinhos [small horse mackarel], codfish buns, and suckling pig rissoles.

Oven-roasted cockerel with pea rice – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Cheese, marmalade and pão-de-ló – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

After that, an oven-roasted cockerel with pea rice. For dessert, cheese, marmalade and pão-de-ló [sponge-cake]. The Aliança wines continued to flow through our glasses.

Aliança Wines – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

See you soon – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Outside, we said goodbye, and “see you soon”…

Contacts
Aliança – Vinhos de Portugal SA
Rua do Comércio, 444
Apartado 6
3781-908 Sangalhos
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 234 732 000
Fax: (+351) 234 732 005
E-mail: alianca@alianca.pt
Website: www.alianca.pt