Rui Reguinga

Alentejo

Rui Reguinga, one of Portugal’s best-known winemaker consultants, started making his own wines in 2004.  His first label, Terrenus, saw him return to Alentejo’s Portalegre sub-region where his career began in 1991.  Back then, Rui describes Portalegre as being “like a desert – no-one went there.  No-one was trained in viticulture or winemaking.  The locals had just grown grapes or made wine for a long time.”  Today, Portalegre is a magnet for young guns and big players alike.  Being an early adopter, Rui has the good fortune to own several old field blend vineyards rising from around 500m to over several hundred metres.  Vinha de Serra, his highest and oldest, is planted to terraces of centenarian vines.  His range includes Amphora wines.