Iberian Peninsula
NOVEMBER 2025
The second largest peninsula in Europe after Scandinavia, and the largest of the three southern European peninsulas (Iberian, Italian, and Balkan), Iberia — what we usually think of Spain & Portugal — is one landmass, mainly surrounded by ocean (the Mediterranean on the east coast down to the Straight of Gibraltar and then the Atlantic Ocean up the west coast and around the north of Spain until it hits Basque France. France and Spain are separated by the Pyrenees Mountains, the first of 8 mountain ranges that run east-west from the north to the south of the peninsula, with mountains covering approximately half of the landmass.
Vineyards are found throughout the land: along the coast, inland on high desert plateaus, along river valleys, and sometimes in mountainous regions. Your two club wines are from Rioja (the most famous growing region in Spain) and Alentejo (land of co-ops in southcentral Portugal). Not coincidentally, both wines would be delicious on your Thanksgiving table!
Bodega de Familia Burgo Viejo
Rioja, Spain
In the 1980's, six local farming families — Castillo Garcia, Galán Garijo, Gurría García, Marques Malumbres, Rivas Marques and Ruiz Casas — consolidated their holdings to create this winery and achieve some economies of scale. Total, they have 200 hectares of vineyards producing a wide range of traditional Rioja wines.
The winery is located in the village of Alfaro at the eastern edge of Rioja, right on the border to Navarra, with vineyards throughout the municipality of Alfaro which offers "a great variety of soils and micro-climates, where the Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Garnacha, Graciano, Viura and Tempranillo Blanco grapes are grown, each with its own distinctive features."
Palacio del Burgo 2022 Tinto • Rioja, Spain • Reg $17.99 | Mixed Case $14.39
100% Tempranillo — 35% in neutral oak. (Tinto just means dry, red wine.) Nose of fine herbs, plums, black cherries. Smooth. Well-balanced. Flavors add in blackberries at the end. Soft acidity. A little spiciness on the finish. Truly a delicious wine. The winery suggests enjoying this wine with the traditional cured meats of Spain. Also great with roasted turkey dinner! Drink now to 3 years.
Adega Cartuxa
Alentejo, Portugal
Two hours due east of Lisbon is the town of Évora and the Adega Cartuxa (winery) with its Lagar Cartuxa (their olive mill — olive grove pictured top). In 1963, Vasco Maria Eugénio de Almeida, who owned a large winemaking property, put all of his holdings in a trust with the mission of "promoting cultural, educational, social and spiritual development of the region of Évora."
The foundation has over 600 hectares of its own vineyards: the Pinheiros, Casito, Álamo de Cima, Álamo da Horta and Quinta de Valbom estates, all producing grapes. They grow grapes in accordance with the Alentejo DOC for the sub-region of Évora, so white grapes: Roupeiro, Antão Vaz & Arinto and traditional red grapes: Trincadeira, Aragonês & Castelão.
Cartuxa 2021 EA Vinho Tinto • Alentejano, Portugal • Reg $15.99 | Mixed Case $12.79
Blend = Aragonez 35%, Trincadeira 20%, Alicante Bouchet 20%, Syrah 15%, Castelao 10% from granite soils. No oak, all fruit. Smells a little like Rhône. Black & red berries, a little wild strawberry, scruffy herbs. Flavors are darker… black cherries, purple plums, blackberries with herbal, earthy notes. Good acidity. Not super dry. More fruit. Fuller-bodied for the price. Fun to drink. Enjoy with Portuguese prosciutto, called presunto (pictured below). Great with burgers, pizza as well as a roasted turkey dinner! Drink now to 2 years.
A Note from Jens:
Your wine club pickup tasting is always the 2nd Saturday of the month. Join to taste and learn about your club wines before enjoying them at home.
Both of your club wines are simple, delicious, everyday, crowd-pleaser reds, ready for your next Friday pizza night or your Thanksgiving table. It was a pleasure picking them out for this month's club. Hope you enjoy them!
You'll be able to taste the FLAGSHIP club wines as well. Our November theme is Thanksgiving Wines, featuring a Chenin Blanc from Anjou, a Valpolicella Ripasso, and a Touraine Gamay. Hope you can join us for the tasting. Might give you some extra ideas for your turkey dinner.
Cheers,
Jens Strecker, Owner
Portalis Wine Shop
If you are here because you’re curious about our wine clubs: Here’s more general info & online sign-up. You can also peruse the last 12 months of both clubs to get a feel for the themes we pick and the wines we showcase: Portalis EXPLORES (our everyday wine club) & Portalis FLAGSHIP (our signature club).