09/03/2026 - Cartuxa Pera Manca 2019 - Vivino's #1 Wine in the World

Having sold out very quickly of the 2018 last year, i am delighted to announce that Cartuxa have just released the 2019 vintage of their flagship wine, Pera Manca Tinto. No 2016 or 2017 were produced, despite 2016 being widely regarded as a great European vintage, and 2017 being particularly successful in the Douro - this wine is from Alentejo, where conditions were perfect for Pera Manca in 2018, and this wine is, of course, only made when it is at least as good as any previous vintage release - having tasted the 2019 late last week, it would appear the most recent release is softer, juicier, wonderfully fragrant - potentially even better! Sadly, production of the 2018 was only half the quantity of the 2015, and only 2/3 of their usual production, and in 2019 they produced even less! Due to this wine's huge popularity in Portugal and Brazil, the UK allocation this year is, again, even smaller than usual, so grab the 2019 Pera Manca Tinto whilst you still can!

I can also offer the lovely Branco 2020 - a very distinct wine, intensely aromatic with lovely exotic fruits and fresh citrussy notes, and the excellent Tinto Reserva 2018, a sort-of mini-Pera-Manca, and one of Portugal's most popular wines.

The wines of Cartuxa are produced within the Alentejo sub-region of Évora and have long been the stuff of legends. Indeed, Pêra-Manca has a long pedigree that is intertwined with Portuguese history. Not only were the wines from the “Pêra-Manca region” first mentioned in a letter from Évora Town Council to King João II in 1488, but they were also aboard Pedro Álvares Cabral’s ship when he discovered Brazil in 1500.

More recently, in 2021, Vivino, the world's largest online wine market, asked its 54 million users which was the Number 1 wine in the world, and it was not DRC or Rousseau, or a 1st Growth Bordeaux, but Pera Manca Tinto!

One of the oldest wineries in Portugal, vineyards have been on the same Quinta de Valbom site in Évora since 1517 when the Jesuits came to the region to establish the second oldest university in Portugal. The name Cartuxa comes from the Cartuxa monastery that was built by the Carthusians between 1587 and 1598. The monastery was saved from ruin in 1871 by the Eugénio de Almeida family, and over the years they have developed the vineyard holding to some 1,050 hectares across four sites (650ha of which they own, and 400ha of which they rent with full control).
 
In 1963, Vasco Maria Eugénio de Almeida created Fundação Eugénio de Almeida, a charitable foundation responsible for developing many important social and cultural organisations across the region, including the Évora University, hospitals, social housing and numerous welfare institutions. The foundation continues its work today, more than 50 years after its foundation.
 
The Pêra-Manca brand was first patented in the 1870s, and the wines gathered international recognition when the reds were awarded gold medals in Bordeaux soon after. After a series political upheavals in Portugal, the arrival of phylloxera and the death of the vineyard owner in 1920, the Pêra-Manca wines were sadly no more, until 1990 when the label was resurrected. Today the wines celebrate native grape varieties and now have cult status around the world. The label is an iconic image from famous Portuguese artist Alfredo Roque Gameiro.

Pêra-Manca Tinto, DOC Alentejo-Évora, 2019
£650 In Bond per case of 3x75

Pera-Manca Tinto (Red) is produced from the Aragonez and Trincadeira grape varieties, with each parcel being carefully separated and selected at harvest. The vineyards are over 30 years old, and selection depends on the grapes developing slowly without excess stress, drawing out the best characteristics of the varieties. In the best years, the grapes are harvested, de-stalked, lightly crushed and fermented in 12000L oak vats. This is followed by a long period of maceration before the wine is matured in 3,000L oak vats for 18 months. The wine is aged in bottle for a further 36 months in the Cartuxa Monastery cellars prior to release.

"Made from an intriguing combination of Aragonez (AKA Tempranillo, for structure and fruit) and Trincadeira (an indigenous variety that brings lovely freshness and acidity), 2019 Pera Manca Tinto is a deep, brooding wine, deep and complex. Showing intense notes of dried fruits and fresh herbs on the nose, the palate is rich and mouth-filling, with dark berries, sweet plum and spice, a note of tobacco leaf, espresso, dark chocolate, tea leaf and some dried herbs - it is extremely complex and intensely concentrated, and whilst still full-bodied, it has a joyously silky texture on the palate, and this is a softer, more approachable wine than the 2018, with a lovely finish that gently develops with each sip. Whilst this has the structure for long ageing, its not a complete mistake to try one now, as it is already superb on its own! Even better with a sumptuous meal, especially with grilled meat or game, but this will only improve over the long term - if you can leav it for 5, 10, or 20 years, you will be very pleased you waited!"

• First produced in its current form in 1990, and only ever in the best years.
• Iconic label - Roque Gameiro C18th advert
• DOC Alentejo - Évora
• Made from Trincadeira and Aragonêz grapes
• Grown on granitic soil
• Fermentation in 12,000 l oak vats, then around 30 days maceration on skins
• Aged in 3000/5000 l oak vats 18 months
• Aged in bottle 36 months

Cartuxa Tinto Reserva 2018, DOC Alentejo-Évora
£210 IB per 6x75

Cartuxa Tinto Reserva is made every year and is perennially one of Portugal's bestselling wines, with over 90,000 bottles produced. 2018 was a superb vintage and the Tinto Reserva 2018 is a delicious wine, showing all the quality of the vintage. Wild berries and plums, with herbs and spices on the nose and a note of pine. Subtle wood in the background is coated in juicy fruit, in a structured and intense palate, with dense tannins and fresh acids. Balance is excellent, and whilst this is still showing fairly young, give it a few years and it will truly blossom. Superb value fine wine.

Pêra-Manca Branco 2020, DOC Alentejo-Évora
£240 IB per 6x75

Pera-Manca Branco (White) is a blend of Antao Vaz and Arinto, planted in the Eugenio de Almeida Foundation vineyards. When the grapes reach the right maturation point, they are carefully picked, destalked and gently crushed. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats and in french oak barrels, at controlled temperature of 16 °C. The wine then matured on the lees for 12 months with battonage and a further 6 months in bottle prior to release.

“Arinto, Antão Vaz, oldest mass-selection plots (c 40 years old) that were the result of research in the 70s and 80s. 75% fermented in French oak (one-third new), the rest (mainly Arinto) in tank. 12–14 months on lees, with stirring, then 6–12 months in bottle before release.
Deeply aromatic with the cedar, citrus and herbs of Antão Vaz, lifted by the grapefruity freshness of Arinto. Lots of flavour but not a huge amount of concentration on the mid palate. Textured by the lees, long and sour-fresh on the finish.”
Drink 2023-2030
16.5+ points, Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com, May 2024

• DOC Alentejo - Évora
• Made from Antão Vaz and Arinto grapes
• Grown on granitic soil
• Fermentation in stainless steel and French oak barrels at 16 degrees
• Matured on lees in French oak barrels for 12 months with batonnage, further 6 months in bottle before release