As one of our brave Operatives, you are obviously among the few wine enthusiasts that are curious to learn more, to explore rare and exotic wines, and open to new regions. And if you don’t already know it from our last offer, this is one of those wines.

Especially if its full-bodied, boldly-fruited, powerful reds are what you’re after – Herdade do Mouchão is one snap up immediately! Their winery has been a bastion of quality in Southern Portugal, one of the vinous treasures of the Alentejo, east of the turquoise coastline of Algarve, for over 100 years.

It came to us recommended by Master of Wine Martin Reyes of WineWise, as one of the greatest Portuguese reds out there. And boy was he right! Helps when it’s 96 points Wine Enthusiast AND 95 points Wine Advocate AND under $50. Yes, please!

Dark as night, it’s surprisingly aromatic, with notes of blackberry jam, balsamic fig compote, and spiced plum chutney. The exotic nose that further resonates with violets and black olive then takes a refreshing twist on the palate, with lively tart black cherries and juicy pomegranate nuances. An utterly unusual, yet unequivocally appealing, one-of-a-kind red that must be tasted to be believed. Leave it to Wine Enthusiast to sum it up: “This wine is legendary and remains a benchmark for Alicante Bouschet.”

An uber-rare teinturier grape, Alicante Bouschet is one of the few wine grape varieties that not only is red on the skin but in the flesh too! While it’s a rustic blending partner by reputation, in this case, it makes an otherworldly red of its own. Feeling geeky enough? Read on…

According to The Portugal Resident “When thinking of the Alicante Bouschet grape to make a varietal red in Portugal, the first wine that will come to mind for any Portuguese wine lover is Mouchão, one of the country’s (and especially the Alentejo’s) most highly regarded producers and the estate that first introduced this grape variety to Portugal at end of the 19th century.”

Oh, and it ages for decades!

Sadly, there’s not much o’ Mouchão either, ha! Act fast!

96 Points – Wine Enthusiast “Alicante Bouschet forms the backbone of this seriously impressive wine. Mushroom and fresh black cherry aromas show its poise between youth and maturity. Rich black plum flavors give the wine its weight and power. Drink from 2025.”

95 Points – Wine Advocate “Mouchão is one of the mythical names from Portuguese wine, thanks to wines like their 1963. It’s owned by the Reynolds family and is a historical property in Alentejo that can be traced back to 1901. The estate is located in Casa Branca in Sousel and has all of their vineyards—45 hectares divided into eight different vineyards—which had to be replanted in 1986 as they were confiscated in 1974 until 1985. Production fluctuates between 140,000 and 150,000 bottles. The 2016 Mouchão is dark, almost opaque and feels young and lively. The palate is balanced, fresh, seamless and still pretty undeveloped. The year delivered a wine with good ripeness and 15% alcohol, a pH of 3.52 and 6.4 grams of acidity, and it seems to be aging at a very slow pace. It’s a textbook, old-style Alentejo red with notes of wild berries, herbs and spices, an earthy and rustic touch and plenty of character. This was also produced with a majority of Alicante Bouschet with 15% Trincadeira, fermented in lagar and matured in oak vats for a long time. This should age effortlessly and for a long time. 44,560 bottles produced. Drink 2024 – 2040”