The medieval bridge in Herdade do Mouchão was one inspiration point for the ‘Ponte’, which arrived the market in July, produced from vineyards planted in 1999 and 2004. It has the combination of three grape varieties – Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Syrah. “Being a wine with excellent storage potential, it is a top of the line in this old estate with centuries, not counting the wines made from the variety ‘Alicante Bouschet’, the queen variety of Mouchão,” says a statement from that farmhouse.
The two big news coming this month are the ‘Ponte 2018 Verdelho’ (only 1500 bottles), and the ‘Ponte 2015 red’ (23,000 bottles), two wines that take the place of the old ‘Ponte das Canas’ in the portfolio of Herdade do Mouchão.
‘Ponte 2015’ in particular is one of the most successful years of this wine. However, all of the ‘Ponte’ awarded by Robert Parker have been rated over 90 points. The ‘Ponte’ matures for 18-20 months in French oak barrels and is marketed after an aging of at least another 12 months in bottle. “I believe that this new life of Ponte which coincides with a new phase of Herdade do Mouchão will show solid excellence and in the coming years,” says Iain Reynolds Richardson, manager and owner of Herdade do Mouchão which has been property of his family for six generations.
The history of Herdade do Mouchão dates back to the early nineteenth century when the family migrated to the Alto Alentejo to develop the business of cork production. Three generations later, John Reynolds and Isabel Bastos Reynolds acquired the 900-hectare Herdade do Mouchão. The family added wine production to the cork activity bringing the first plants of the variety “Alicante Bouschet” to the Alentejo. Currently, the estate is divided into 41 hectares.
