In the ampelographic data of the late 19th century there is no red wine variety with the name of Alfrocheiro, although, in the Dão region the same word was known to mention a white wine caste. If we associate a very weak genetic variability and a low occurrence in the region, we are led to think that it’s very recent in the Dão region and certainly after the destruction of the vineyards by phylloxera. This assumption is reinforced by its low dissemination in our country until a few years ago. Beyond the Dão region it was only present in some sub-regions of Alentejo, such as Redondo, Vidigueira and Amareleja. Recently it was identified as Bruñal, a minority wine caste existing in the Denominação de Origem Arribes, between Zamora and Salamanca. Again, like so many other wine castes, it’s shared by Portuguese and Spanish, testifying that the vine and wine don’t respect the boundaries defined by men.
Less easy to understand, or perhaps not, is the fact that the Spanish ampelographers considered Bruñal identical to Baboso Negro, from the Canary islands, as well as Albarín Tinto from Asturias or Caiño Gordo from Galicia. All this geographic dispersion is the consequence of the viticultural and oenological qualities granted to this wine variety, producing wines of intense colour, very aromatic, fruity, soft in the mouth and intended to be consumed young. However these wines age nobly for several years, gaining complexity and sophistication. In the Dão region, this wine variety is also known as Tinta Francesa (meaning “French Ink”).
The consumption of Dão's wine in the manor houses of the region.
