- The Winery
- Address: 257 West 116th Street, New York, NY 10026
- Telephone: 212-222-4866
- Opening hours: Open 7 days, 12-9 PM.
Grapes: Aragonez (Tempranillo), Trincadeira, Castelao, Alicante Bouschet. Region: Portugal> Alentejo DOC. Notes: All estate fruit, hand picked and foot trodden, 12 months in oak.
Description: The story of Mouchão actually crosses two stories, which converge in Alentejo. This region of Portugal lies between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the plains of Spain to the east, with the Algarve as the southern border. By this time the family was already well established in Portugal, having settled in Porto for three generations. João's grandfather, Thomás, had enlisted in the Navy as a young man and probably saw Portugal for the first time in 1805, the year of the Battle of Trafalgar. All operations were fully manual – including pumping– until as recently as 1991 when electricity was installed. However, work rhythms remain largely unaltered and grape crushing continues to be done by foot. All drained red musts at Mouchão continue to be pressed in four fully-manual ancient basket presses, which produce low yields of the highest quality.
Food pairings: Beef (braised, stewed), game birds, lamb, root veggies, venison, grilled pork, ribs, lentils, etc.