Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on October 20, 2026.
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After our first trip to Portugal in 2021, I fell in love with the lesser grown grape Alicante Bouschet.
This big, bold red is quite a delicious bottle, and I never say no to an opportunity to pick up a bottle to enjoy now or squirrel away in my cellar.
So when we were flying home from Portugal for our second visit in 2026, I made sure to get a few bottles to enjoy later. One was the Casal das Aires Vinhas Velhas Alicante Bouschet from Tejo which drank just a little differently from bottles we have had in the past.
This cooler climate (or, cooler by Portuguese standards at least) was much lighter and more approachable than the big bold Alentejo bottles we are used to!
An Approachable Alicante Bouschet from Tejo
This Alicante Bouschet from Tejo was medium ruby in color with medium aromas of dried red cherry, dried black cherry, cranberry, clove, cedar, leather, violet, and black pepper.
On the palate, it was dry with high acidity, medium(+) flavor intensity, and medium coarse tannin, alcohol, body, and finish. We had notes of red cherry, cranberry, blueberry, candied cherry, clove, wet leaves, chalk, wet stone, black pepper, mild cacao notes, and blackberry.
What was interesting about this Alicante Bouschet is that it felt quite a bit more restrained than the much hotter climate of nearby Alentejo where we are used to enjoying this grape. This bottle felt more reminiscent of something we’d get from a GSM blend in the southern Rhone and not the big bold bottles we’ve been used to.
Different, yes, but still quite delicious.
Alicante Bouschet Food Pairing – Lamb With Couscous and Mediterranean Spices
We paired this Alicante Bouschet with a sous vide lamb shank topped upon couscous with Mediterranean spices. Even though we were anticipating a bigger, bolder red wine more akin to the Alentejo style, the more restrained version still came with a fair bit of heft that worked well with the rich dish.
The lamb pairing highlighted more darker fruits like blueberry and blackberry that were otherwise a bit milder in the wind behind the red fruit, and the seasoning on the lamb had a bit of a flavor spike to go along with it. A side of roasted squash highlighted fresher red fruit and herbal notes as well.
Score 3 / 5
We’d buy a glass of this one.
All told, this was quite a lovely bottle of Alicante Bouschet and certainly illustrates the versatility of the grape depending on the climate. That said, we do still find ourselves a bit more partial to the bigger, bolder counterparts of Alentajo. That said, we’d never say no to a glass of this one. It is, after all, one of our favorite lesser grown grape varietals for a reason!
Casal das Aires is located in Tejo, Portugal. We purchased this bottle locally in Portugal and enjoyed it in 2026.
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