Australian Peter Bright, the winemaker in charge of Terras de Alter wines in Portugal, is one of the people behind the surge in quality in that country in recent years. He has lived in Portugal since 1982.

After winning trophies at the International Wine Challenge in London in 1992, Bright was that year named Portugal’s red winemaker of the year.

He founded Terras de Alter, in the Alentejo region about 200km west of the capital Lisbon, in 2004.

Bright has a fascination with the Viognier grape. His Telhas is made entirely from that grape. The first commercial release of the wine, the 2011 Telhas, will be offered this year. Grapes grow on a barren granite ridge of the company’s Anta vineyard.

Bright said it is the probable site of a Roman settlement and cemetery because this block is littered with terracotta tile fragments. “Hence the name Telhas, Portuguese for roof tiles.”

Peter Bright spoke with video reporter Stephen Quinn.