Vineyard & Process
From vine to bottle: our winemaking journey
Our Terroir
15 hectares of pristine Portuguese vineyard
The Perfect Location
Our vineyard sits on south-facing hillsides at an elevation of 350 meters, providing optimal sun exposure and natural drainage. The diurnal temperature variation—warm days and cool nights—allows grapes to develop complex flavors while maintaining crucial acidity.
The soil composition is predominantly limestone with schist veining, creating excellent drainage and imparting distinctive mineral qualities to our wines. This ancient terroir has been shaped over millennia, providing the perfect foundation for exceptional viticulture.
Our microclimate benefits from Atlantic breezes that moderate summer heat and reduce disease pressure, allowing us to farm organically without compromise.
The Annual Cycle
A year in the life of our vineyard
Winter · Dormancy & Pruning
December - February
The vines rest during winter months. This is when we carefully prune each vine by hand, selecting the best canes for the coming season. Pruning determines yield and quality—we prune aggressively for concentration and balance.
We also use this time to repair trellising, enrich the soil with compost, and plan the year ahead.
Spring · Budbreak & Growth
March - May
As temperatures rise, buds break and new shoots emerge. We carefully manage canopy growth, removing excess shoots to concentrate the vine's energy. This is a critical time for disease management using organic treatments only.
Flowering occurs in May—the weather during this brief period largely determines the vintage's potential yield.
Summer · Veraison & Ripening
June - August
Grapes begin to change color in a process called veraison—red varieties turn purple, white varieties become translucent. We thin clusters if needed and continue careful canopy management to optimize sun exposure.
We taste grapes weekly, monitoring sugar, acidity, and phenolic ripeness to determine the perfect harvest moment.
Autumn · Harvest
September - October
Harvest is the culmination of a year's work. We pick by hand in small batches, often making multiple passes through the vineyard as different blocks reach optimal ripeness. Grapes are sorted in the field and transported immediately to the winery.
After harvest, leaves turn golden before falling, and the cycle begins anew.
Our Winemaking Philosophy
Minimal intervention, maximum expression
We believe great wine is made in the vineyard. Our role as winemakers is to guide the transformation of exceptional fruit into exceptional wine with as little intervention as possible.
We use native yeasts for fermentation, allowing the unique microbiology of our vineyard to express itself. Temperature control is gentle, letting fermentations proceed at their own pace. We avoid fining agents and filter minimally, preserving texture and complexity.
The result is wine that authentically reflects its origin—our land, our climate, our season.
From Grape to Bottle
Our winemaking process step by step
1. Hand Harvesting & Sorting
Grapes are picked by hand in the cool morning hours to preserve freshness. Each cluster is inspected and sorted before crushing. Only perfect fruit makes it into our wines.
2. Gentle Crushing & Fermentation
Grapes are gently destemmed and crushed. For reds, we use open-top fermenters with manual punch-downs. Whites are pressed and fermented in stainless steel. Native yeasts begin spontaneous fermentation.
3. Aging & Maturation
Wines are aged in a combination of French oak barrels (for structure and complexity) and stainless steel tanks (for freshness). Our Reserva wines spend 18-24 months aging before release.
4. Bottling & Release
After aging, wines are bottled on-site with minimal filtration. Each bottle is numbered and labeled by hand. Wines rest in bottle for several months before release to ensure integration and stability.
Sustainable Practices
Farming for the future
Organic Certification
Our vineyard is certified organic. We use no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Biodiversity is encouraged through cover crops and habitat preservation.
Solar Powered
Our winery and production facilities run on 100% solar energy. We've invested in solar panels that generate more power than we consume annually.
Water Conservation
Drip irrigation minimizes water use. We harvest rainwater and have implemented water recycling systems in our winery to reduce consumption by 60%.