A family-owned and family-operated winery located near the picturesque town of S. João da Pesqueira…read morein the Douro superior wine region specializing in Ports and still wines.
We visited in late September with a guide as a part of a food & wine exportation across the region. While you can stop by, it is best to call ahead for an appointment to tour and taste to make sure they can accommodate you. Allow 2-hours.
As they were right in the middle of harvest, there was lots going on at the winery from dumping grapes to be crushed to fermenting as well as bottling. We got to say "hi" to several family members including wine maker Claudia-who let us sample some in-process juice pressed in the past week to Óscar (jr.) the current head of the company. Fred, a Canadian, spent a lot of time with us and showed us around the vineyard, through the winery and bottling room and into the barrel room where we learned all about ports and tasted wines from the barrel including one from 1970.
The two hours we spent were so educational and we gained a really great understanding of port and its various designations. One of the best educational wine experiences we have had in our travels. Before this I was intimidated by port wines and wasn't sure I liked them but am now converted.
Later at lunch we also tasted a couple of their excellent still wines including the white "Óscar" and the reserve red "Claudia".