Preview
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WINERY Quinta de Soalheiro
João Antonio Cerdeira, who with the support of his father António Esteves Ferreira, planted the first vines in Alvarinho vineyard in the 1970s (1974). In 1982, he created the first Alvarinho brand in Melgaço and one of the first Alvarinho brands in the sub-regions of Monção and Melgaço.
It is astonishing how long a handful of wines can shape an entire wine style. This happened in the northern part of Portugal with the high-quality Vinho Verde. This northern area is known for its deep green and the surrounding mountain ranges which protect the vines and has pure granite soils that lie at 100 to 400 metres above sea level. This area also profit from the special microclimate in Melgaço. Portugal’s well-known, often slightly sparkling wine is cultivated as white wine, rosé and red wine. In the northernmost subregion Monção e Melgaço, which lies close to the Spanish border, the Alvarinho (in Spanish Albariño) dominates. This grape variety produces remarkable qualities in the granitic hilly country, which range from light and fresh to complex and storable.
This allows a perfect interplay between rainfall, temperature and the hours of sunlight necessary for the Alvarinho grapes to mature optimally. The ideal sunshine – “Soalheiro” means “sunny place” – also gave the name to the land that gave the brand its name.
Over the years, the winery has developed from a conventional to an organic winery, producing more and more natural wines with little or no added sulphur in addition to the terroir wines and sparkling wines. This method of making wine is certainly the most difficult, but Luís has mastered the art, and we still enjoy every single sip of Soalheiro today.
They are proud of their team and of all those who are committed everyday to values such as innovation, a sense of responsibility and the will to create something extraordinary. And also to all who follow an unconventional paths – all with the aim of promoting the development of Soalheiro as a healthy, stable company. Their passion for vineyards and wine brought them together and their respect for their terroir strengthens their mission.