🥃 Aguardente Bagaceira Alentejana
Portuguese grape-marc spirit under the regional name «Alentejano» (Beja, Évora and Portalegre districts); EU application filed in 2017.
Aguardente Bagaceira Alentejana is a Portuguese grape-marc spirit under the regional name «Alentejano», covering all municipalities of the Beja, Évora and Portalegre districts. At home it is defined by Portaria 276/2010, and an EU geographical indication application was filed for it in 2017; registration is not yet complete.
Law. Portaria 276/2010 of 19 May 2010 extended the regional name «Alentejano» to two aguardentes: the grape-marc spirit and the wine spirit (aguardente vínica). For spirit drinks the name takes the feminine form «Alentejana». The grapes must come from the varieties listed in Annex II, and certification is handled by the Regional Wine Commission of the Alentejo (CVRA).
EU rules. In the eAmbrosia register the application carries number PGI-PT-02374 and the status «applied». So the general requirements for grape-marc spirits apply (category 6 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787): at least 37.5% ABV in the bottle, methanol up to 1,000 g per hectolitre of pure alcohol, volatile substances from 140 g. Flavouring such a spirit is not allowed.
Don't confuse it with Alentejo. Aguardente Bagaceira Alentejo has been registered in the EU since 1989, is tied to the DO Alentejo name with its eight subregions and carries the age labels «Old» and «Very Old». The regional «Alentejana» covers a wider area, the whole south from Portalegre to Beja. The Vinhos do Alentejo portal lists, for example, a bagaceira from the Adega de Borba cooperative at 40% ABV.
Why it matters to you. The word «Alentejana» on a label means a regional name, not a DOC; the label is agreed in advance with the CVRA. There is no mandatory ageing, so the spirit can be very young and sharp. Do not drive after drinking. WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | Portaria 276/2010 (GI «Alentejano»); EU application EUGI00000015839, PGI-PT-02374, of 06.11.2017 — status «applied» |
|---|---|
| EU category | 6 — grape-marc spirit |
| Raw material | grape marc from Annex II varieties, Beja, Évora and Portalegre districts |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | from 37.5% ABV (EU minimum) |
| Minimum maturation | not set |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Aguardente Bagaceira Alentejana → kind of → 🍇 Pomace spirits → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Wine label
- Made from
- 🥃 Pomace
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍇 Pomace spirits, 🥃 Pomace brandy
- Related to
- 📍 Alentejo
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Aguardente Bagaceira Alentejo, 🥃 Aguardente de Vinho Alentejo, 🥃 Grappa
- In other topics
- 🗺️ Portuguese wine
Frequently asked questions
What is Aguardente Bagaceira Alentejana?
A Portuguese grape-marc spirit under the regional name «Alentejano»: Beja, Évora and Portalegre districts, certification by the CVRA, Portaria 276/2010.
Are Alentejana and Alentejo the same name?
No. Aguardente Bagaceira Alentejo is a name within the DO Alentejo, registered in the EU since 1989. «Alentejana» is a wider regional name, for which only an application was filed in the EU in 2017.
Is this name protected in the EU?
Application PGI-PT-02374 was filed on 6 November 2017; in the eAmbrosia register it has the status «applied». In Portugal the name is defined by Portaria 276/2010.
What is its strength?
At least 37.5% ABV, the EU minimum for grape-marc spirits. For example, the bagaceira from the Adega de Borba cooperative is 40% ABV.
Is ageing required?
No. Portaria 276/2010 does not require ageing, so without age labels the spirit can be very young.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Wine label — The sticker on a bottle: who made it, where from, the year and strength.
- 🗺️ Portuguese wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grapes, appellations.
- 🥃 Grappa — Italian grape pomace spirit, an EU geographical indication: at least 37.5% vol.; «invecchiata» means 12+ months in wood, «riserva» 18+.
Similar
🥃 Aguardente Bagaceira Alentejo · 🥃 Aguardente Bagaceira da Região dos Vinhos Verdes · 🥃 Aguardente Bagaceira Bairrada · 🥃 Marc d'Alsace Gewurztraminer · 🥃 Marc d'Auvergne · 🥃 Marc de Provence
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- eAmbrosia (EU GI register API): Aguardente Bagaceira Alentejana, EUGI00000015839, file PGI-PT-02374 — spirit drink, grape marc spirit, status "applied", application date 06.11.2017
- WIPO Lex: Portaria n.º 276/2010 de 19 de Maio («Alentejano») — IG «Alentejano» extended to aguardente bagaceira and aguardente vínica, mention «Alentejana»; districts of Beja, Évora, Portalegre; certification by CVRA
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, Annex I: category 4 wine spirit (distilled < 86 % vol., from 37.5 % vol., methanol ≤ 200 g/hl p.a.) and category 6 grape marc spirit (from 37.5 % vol., methanol ≤ 1000 g/hl p.a., no flavouring)
- Vinhos do Alentejo (CVRA): Aguardente Bagaceira White, Adega Cooperativa de Borba (pomace brandy, 40 % vol.)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)