Why it matters
The producer
Aragonez, Syrah, Touriga Nacional and Alicante Bouschet fill the 25 hectares of vineyards at Herdade dos Lagos in Lower Alentejo. The Zeppenfeld family from Germany has owned the estate for more than thirty years.
The vineyards have been farmed organically since 2008. The winery has been completely renovated and modernized, with a Europress for gentle pressing and chilled tanks for red wines. The equipment supports fruity wines while the traditional estate buildings contain tasting, sales, storage, office and barrique cellar spaces.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Herdade dos Lagos is in Vale de Camelos, in Lower Alentejo. The estate also encompasses 80 hectares of olive groves that yield extra virgin olive oil, placing wine and olive cultivation within the same agricultural property.
Carapeto carries the Alentejano designation on its label. The wine sits within a regional category, while the estate's named grape plantings give the range its variety.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range extends across red and white wines, rosé and sparkling wine. The producer presents these wines as vegan and organically certified.
Herdade dos Lagos Carapeto is a 2022 Alentejano red wine aged for eight months. Ninety percent of the ageing takes place in stainless steel tanks and 10% in French oak, giving the wine a cellar regimen split between neutral steel and oak contact. HDL Touriga Nacional 2022 is another named red wine from the estate.