Howard's Folly is an ambitious Portuguese wine project founded by English entrepreneur Howard Bilton and Australian winemaker David Baverstock.

Based in the historic town of Estremoz in the Alentejo, the winery produces small-batch wines from carefully selected vineyards, with a particular focus on the cooler, higher-altitude vineyards around Portalegre and the Serra de São Mamede.

David Baverstock's precise, contemporary approach allows the wines to retain freshness and varietal character while expressing their distinctive origins.

Alentejo spans Portugal’s sun-baked south-east, a broad plateau of rolling plains dotted with cork oak (montado). The climate is decidedly Mediterranean–continental: hot, dry summers and cool, damp winters, with scant rainfall and abundant sunshine. Elevation and exposure bring vital nuance—cooler, wind-kissed Portalegre rises on the Serra de São Mamede, while Vidigueira benefits from a natural wind corridor that moderates heat; areas further south and east are markedly warmer. Atlantic breezes temper western edges, and big day–night swings help preserve acidity.

Soils are varied and generally poor, encouraging low vigour and flavour concentration: granite and schist dominate, alongside limestone, clay and sandy patches. This mosaic underpins the DOC Alentejo’s eight subregions (Portalegre, Borba, Redondo, Évora, Reguengos, Granja-Amareleja, Vidigueira and Moura).

Grape varieties are both traditional and international. Reds feature Aragonez (Tempranillo), Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet (a regional star), Touriga Nacional, Castelão and Syrah. Whites are led by Antão Vaz—aromatic and resilient to heat—joined by Arinto (for zest), Roupeiro (Síria) and Fernão Pires.

Stylistically, Alentejo is generous yet increasingly precise. Reds range from plush, dark-fruited and velvety to fresher, more structural styles from higher sites; oak is used judiciously. Whites span crisp, citrus-lined Arinto to fuller, stone- and tropical-fruited Antão Vaz, often with a subtly textural, mineral edge. The region also preserves ancient talha (amphora) winemaking, yielding fragrant, gently tannic whites and characterful reds. Modern viticulture, altitude and thoughtful blending now deliver wines that balance sun-ripened richness with refreshing lift.

Arinto is one of Portugal’s most important and versatile white grape varieties, prized for its naturally high acidity and age-worthy character. Grown across several regions, Arinto thrives in both coastal and inland climates, making it a popular choice for winemakers seeking freshness and structure in their white wines.

The variety is most famously associated with Bucelas, a small DOC near Lisbon, where it produces crisp, mineral-driven wines with excellent ageing potential. It is also widely planted in the Vinho Verde region, often blended with varieties like Loureiro and Alvarinho, and features in white wines from Alentejo, where it helps to retain acidity in the region’s warmer climate.

Arinto typically produces wines with vibrant citrus aromas – lemon, lime, and green apple – alongside subtle notes of wet stone, beeswax, and occasionally a saline edge. With time, it can develop complex, honeyed and toasty characteristics, making it well-suited to both still and sparkling wine production.

Viticulturally, Arinto is relatively resilient, with good drought tolerance and disease resistance. However, careful vineyard management is needed to control vigour and preserve acidity. Its ability to maintain freshness in warmer conditions has made it increasingly valuable as global temperatures rise, contributing to its growing appeal both within Portugal and beyond.

Verdelho is a white grape variety with a long and distinguished history, originating in Portugal, where it is most famously associated with the fortified wines of Madeira. Believed to have been introduced from mainland Portugal to the island in the 15th century, Verdelho quickly became one of the classic varieties used in Madeira’s medium-dry styles, prized for its balance of acidity and flavour intensity.

Viticulturally, Verdelho is a relatively vigorous variety, though it is susceptible to powdery mildew and requires careful canopy management to achieve optimal ripeness. It thrives in warm, sunny climates where it develops concentration without losing its naturally high acidity. The bunches are typically small to medium in size, with thick-skinned berries that contribute to its aromatic depth and resilience during vinification.

Today, Verdelho is grown not only in Madeira but also across mainland Portugal, notably in the Douro and Dão regions, where it is valued in fresh, still white wines. Outside Europe, it has found success in Australia, particularly in regions such as the Hunter Valley and Langhorne Creek, producing vibrant, aromatic whites. Stylistically, Verdelho wines are marked by bright acidity, citrus and tropical fruit notes, often with hints of spice and a refreshing, zesty character.

Cercial is a rare indigenous Portuguese white grape variety prized for its naturally high acidity, freshness and delicate aromatic character.

Cercial produces wines with a bright citrus colour and fresh, aromatic profile, often showing subtle notes of lemon, green apple, white flowers and mineral freshness.

Its naturally high acidity gives the wines energy, structure and excellent ageing potential, while maintaining a relatively delicate, elegant character.

Because of its pronounced acidity, Cercial is frequently used in blends, where it adds freshness and lift to richer varieties such as Malvasia Fina or Fernão Pires. It is particularly well suited to seafood, shellfish, grilled fish and fresh cheeses.

Arinto is one of Portugal’s most important and versatile white grape varieties, prized for its naturally high acidity and age-worthy character. Grown across several regions, Arinto thrives in both coastal and inland climates, making it a popular choice for winemakers seeking freshness and structure in their white wines.

The variety is most famously associated with Bucelas, a small DOC near Lisbon, where it produces crisp, mineral-driven wines with excellent ageing potential. It is also widely planted in the Vinho Verde region, often blended with varieties like Loureiro and Alvarinho, and features in white wines from Alentejo, where it helps to retain acidity in the region’s warmer climate.

Arinto typically produces wines with vibrant citrus aromas – lemon, lime, and green apple – alongside subtle notes of wet stone, beeswax, and occasionally a saline edge. With time, it can develop complex, honeyed and toasty characteristics, making it well-suited to both still and sparkling wine production.

Viticulturally, Arinto is relatively resilient, with good drought tolerance and disease resistance. However, careful vineyard management is needed to control vigour and preserve acidity. Its ability to maintain freshness in warmer conditions has made it increasingly valuable as global temperatures rise, contributing to its growing appeal both within Portugal and beyond.

Verdelho is a white grape variety with a long and distinguished history, originating in Portugal, where it is most famously associated with the fortified wines of Madeira. Believed to have been introduced from mainland Portugal to the island in the 15th century, Verdelho quickly became one of the classic varieties used in Madeira’s medium-dry styles, prized for its balance of acidity and flavour intensity.

Viticulturally, Verdelho is a relatively vigorous variety, though it is susceptible to powdery mildew and requires careful canopy management to achieve optimal ripeness. It thrives in warm, sunny climates where it develops concentration without losing its naturally high acidity. The bunches are typically small to medium in size, with thick-skinned berries that contribute to its aromatic depth and resilience during vinification.

Today, Verdelho is grown not only in Madeira but also across mainland Portugal, notably in the Douro and Dão regions, where it is valued in fresh, still white wines. Outside Europe, it has found success in Australia, particularly in regions such as the Hunter Valley and Langhorne Creek, producing vibrant, aromatic whites. Stylistically, Verdelho wines are marked by bright acidity, citrus and tropical fruit notes, often with hints of spice and a refreshing, zesty character.

Cercial is a rare indigenous Portuguese white grape variety prized for its naturally high acidity, freshness and delicate aromatic character.

Cercial produces wines with a bright citrus colour and fresh, aromatic profile, often showing subtle notes of lemon, green apple, white flowers and mineral freshness.

Its naturally high acidity gives the wines energy, structure and excellent ageing potential, while maintaining a relatively delicate, elegant character.

Because of its pronounced acidity, Cercial is frequently used in blends, where it adds freshness and lift to richer varieties such as Malvasia Fina or Fernão Pires. It is particularly well suited to seafood, shellfish, grilled fish and fresh cheeses.

Arinto is one of Portugal’s most important and versatile white grape varieties, prized for its naturally high acidity and age-worthy character. Grown across several regions, Arinto thrives in both coastal and inland climates, making it a popular choice for winemakers seeking freshness and structure in their white wines.

The variety is most famously associated with Bucelas, a small DOC near Lisbon, where it produces crisp, mineral-driven wines with excellent ageing potential. It is also widely planted in the Vinho Verde region, often blended with varieties like Loureiro and Alvarinho, and features in white wines from Alentejo, where it helps to retain acidity in the region’s warmer climate.

Arinto typically produces wines with vibrant citrus aromas – lemon, lime, and green apple – alongside subtle notes of wet stone, beeswax, and occasionally a saline edge. With time, it can develop complex, honeyed and toasty characteristics, making it well-suited to both still and sparkling wine production.

Viticulturally, Arinto is relatively resilient, with good drought tolerance and disease resistance. However, careful vineyard management is needed to control vigour and preserve acidity. Its ability to maintain freshness in warmer conditions has made it increasingly valuable as global temperatures rise, contributing to its growing appeal both within Portugal and beyond.

Verdelho is a white grape variety with a long and distinguished history, originating in Portugal, where it is most famously associated with the fortified wines of Madeira. Believed to have been introduced from mainland Portugal to the island in the 15th century, Verdelho quickly became one of the classic varieties used in Madeira’s medium-dry styles, prized for its balance of acidity and flavour intensity.

Viticulturally, Verdelho is a relatively vigorous variety, though it is susceptible to powdery mildew and requires careful canopy management to achieve optimal ripeness. It thrives in warm, sunny climates where it develops concentration without losing its naturally high acidity. The bunches are typically small to medium in size, with thick-skinned berries that contribute to its aromatic depth and resilience during vinification.

Today, Verdelho is grown not only in Madeira but also across mainland Portugal, notably in the Douro and Dão regions, where it is valued in fresh, still white wines. Outside Europe, it has found success in Australia, particularly in regions such as the Hunter Valley and Langhorne Creek, producing vibrant, aromatic whites. Stylistically, Verdelho wines are marked by bright acidity, citrus and tropical fruit notes, often with hints of spice and a refreshing, zesty character.

Cercial is a rare indigenous Portuguese white grape variety prized for its naturally high acidity, freshness and delicate aromatic character.

Cercial produces wines with a bright citrus colour and fresh, aromatic profile, often showing subtle notes of lemon, green apple, white flowers and mineral freshness.

Its naturally high acidity gives the wines energy, structure and excellent ageing potential, while maintaining a relatively delicate, elegant character.

Because of its pronounced acidity, Cercial is frequently used in blends, where it adds freshness and lift to richer varieties such as Malvasia Fina or Fernão Pires. It is particularly well suited to seafood, shellfish, grilled fish and fresh cheeses.