In the lands of Monsaraz and around its medieval village, wine has been made since time immemorial. When the town of Reguengos grew and became the county seat in the mid-19th century, vineyards became a strategic goal for its inhabitants: from 1860 onwards and over the following decade, more than a million vines were planted. In 1903, Reguengos was already regarded as “the richest wine region in the Alentejo”.
 

The people's will

CARMIM – Cooperativa Agrícola de Reguengos de Monsaraz was founded in 1971 by 60 farmers and it is a natural development of the Alentejo wine economy. Today, it numbers around 700 associates who, at its facilities, deliver grapes from 3,000 hectares of vineyards, making it the largest winery in the Alentejo and one of the largest in Portugal.

Body and soul

CARMIM expresses, in its essence, the culture, work, knowledge and feelings of the people who, year after year, entrust their grapes to it. CARMIM wines are produced and bottled exclusively from the grapes of its associates, thereby producing, in each harvest, white, rosé and red wines which reflect the body and soul of the region. For all these reasons, it is appropriate to state that CARMIM and Reguengos are inseparable.

 

The people, always

The vineyard and wine are human creations, they do not arise spontaneously. CARMIM wines have come about from the hands of those who care for the vineyards, those who harvest the grapes and transport them to the winery, those who transform them into wine and those who bottle, package and sell it. They are the creations of a knowledgeable, professional, committed team, who are proud of what they do and the brand they represent.

 

And from the grapes wine was made

The winery is where the magic happens. In vats, clay amphoras, wine presses and barrels, grape juice is transformed into wine, under the watchful eyes of Rui Veladas and Tiago Garcia. The CARMIM winemakers combine science and innovation with “ancient knowledge”, rooted in the region’s wine culture. In this way, each wine created here conveys the authentic territory of Reguengos.

What defines us

Reguengos is the largest of the eight sub-regions of the Alentejo. Funnily enough, it is also the place where the property is most divided, with many small and medium-sized winegrowers who, along with their families, passionately care for the vineyards. The soil is poor but deep and stony, mainly formed by granite derivatives. And the climate is typically continental, with cold winters and hot, dry summers.

 

Vines that suffer

Ancient wisdom has it that the vine that suffers is the one that produces the best wine.

Many of the vineyards in Reguengos are dry farmed, meaning they are not irrigated. Its roots penetrate deep into the soil in search of water, absorbing minerals and nutrients which cannot be found on the surface. They are vines that are resistant to the climate and adapted to local conditions, vines that reserve all their energy to feed the bunches they produce. And that’s how great wines come about.

Loving the land

We live off the land, where the vines for our wines grow. Caring for it repays it generosity. 
Warm weather limits diseases and reduces treatments. CARMIM winegrowers practice integrated protection, managing natural resources for sustainable agriculture.

The name of the grapes

The grape variety forms part (along with the climate, the soil, the people) of that set of factors which allow a wine to express the place where it was born. CARMIM wines convey the authentic territory of Reguengos through a wide variety of grape varieties, from the classic Trincadeira, Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet, Antão Vaz or Roupeiro to the international Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, as well as the very Portuguese Touriga Nacional, Arinto and Gouveio. Each one plays a specific role in asserting the identity of the wine and the region.