In the centuries. XV and XVI, in the period of Portuguese expansion, the ships and galleons that left towards India, one of the products they transported was wine. In the golden period that followed the Discoveries, Portuguese wines constituted ballast in the ships and caravels that sold products brought from Brazil and the East. Perhaps it is appropriate to refer here to "Roda" or "Torna Viagem" wines. If we think about how long the trips took ... It was, in general, about six long months in which the wines were kept in the barrels, spread over the galleys' basements, shaken by the rocking waves, or exposed to the sun, or sometimes even submerged in the water of the bottom of the ships ... And the wine improved!
In the middle of the 16th century, Lisbon was the largest center of consumption and distribution of wine in the empire - the Portuguese maritime expansion took this product to the four corners of the world. Arriving in the 17th century, the collection of publications of various works of a geographical nature and travel reports, both by Portuguese and foreign authors, allows us to understand the historical path of Portuguese wine-growing areas, the prestige of their wines and the importance consumption and export volume.
Currently, 33 Designations of Origin and 8 Geographical Indications are recognized and protected in the entire Portuguese territory.
Source: IVV - Institute of Vine and Wine
Portuguese Wine Discovery is a group of well-established Portuguese wine producers, that share the mutual desire to grow their presence in Asia.
With their reputed brands around the globe, 3 wineries from different Portuguese wine regions, have joined forces to bring more of their exceptional wines to Asia and increase their awareness.
Based on the premise that “together we are stronger” the combined offer includes exquisite wines to taste, breathtaking wine estates to visit and a vast experience in working with international markets.
Portuguese Wine Discovery has now a permanent base in Asia, allowing it to be closer and to better serve its regional business partners.
Poças is the Portuguese side of the history of the Douro valley.
Founded in 1918 by Manoel Domingues Poças Junior, it is one of the few Port Wine houses that was kept in the hands of the same Portuguese family since its foundation.
In 1990 Poças has added Douro (dry) wines to its portfolio, making it one of the first companies in the Douro Valley to start this venture. In 2018 celebrated its centenary.
Currently the company is managed by the 4th generation of the family.
It is headquartered in the historic centre of Vila Nova de Gaia, where one can also find its visitors centre, opened to the public in 2016.
Poças has 3 estates, one in each of the 3 sub-regions of the Douro Valley: Quinta das Quartas (Baixo Corgo), Quinta de Santa Bárbara (Cima Corgo) and Quinta de Vale de Cavalos (Douro Superior), totalling 100 hectares of vineyards. Since 2014 Hubert de Boüard, owner of Château Angélus and La Fleur de Boüard, is the consultant winemaker of the company.
Poças has been trailing a path of innovation and creativity, without forgetting its own history. Through the recovery of old traditions or simply rethinking the consumer’s experience, it has launched innovative and disruptive products that frequently catch the attention of the media, as the Fora da Série project, Poças Pink, Soberbo Vermouth, Poças Quinado and Poças 1918.
90% of its sales are from the overseas markets, with a presence in 30 countries. The main markets are Denmark, Belgium and Netherlands (for Port wine), Canada, USA and Portugal (for Douro DOC).
Poças
In 1994, Fontes da Cunha family buys 1.5 hectares of Quinta do Mondego with a very clear objective, a vacation and weekend home where the harvest was only seen as a time of fun between family and friends. With the first restructuring of the existing vineyards in 1996, the scenario changes completely and, a year later, is planted the first new vineyard.
In 2003, with the vineyard already organized, the family meets and makes the first vintage of Touriga Nacional that gave rise to the first MUNDA Red. Thus was born this new Dão wine region brand that, year after year, keeps conquering the world.
Nowadays, with a total of 70 hectares, 20 of which vineyard, Quinta do Mondego – located in Nelas – is one of the most important estates in Dão wine region. The vineyards of Quinta do Mondego flourish in an idyllic setting on the banks of the river that names the estate – MONDEGO, which result in elegant and traditional wines that embrace the terroir.
Only Portuguese indigenous varieties are used to produce its iconic wines. Fontes da Cunha family believes in sustainable agriculture, focusing on energy and water conservation, trying to keep the soil and air as clean as possible for the next generations.
Casa Cadaval
The wine tradition at Casa Cadaval estate dates back to Roman times, more than one a millennium before the foundation of the House of Cadaval (1648). It has been in the family since the beginning of XVII century, and as the previous 4 generations it has a woman at the helm - Teresa Schönborn, Countess of Schönborn and Wiesentheid.
The property is located in the Tejo wine region (surrounding Tagus river), which is characterized by different sub-regions and terroirs.
Casa Cadaval estate, in its more than 5000 hectares, has different types of soils, being used not only for vineyards but also other crops (e.g. rice and other cereals), pasture for the Lusitano horses of the estate famous stud farm, and forest/cork trees.
The vineyards are mainly located in “Charneca” but also in “Campo”, where in ancient times was the delta of the Tagus estuary. These once flooded areas gave rise to very particular sedimentary soils, "the terraces of Tagus". On the surface, these soils are sandy, however, deeper they have layers rich in clays, which accumulate small amounts of water throughout the year, providing a continuous and appropriate humidity, in drier times. It has also provided soils with the marine minerals that today influence the Cadaval House wines, characterised by their freshness, elegance and minerality, with great ageing potential.
From generation to generation, for more than 400 years, Casa Cadaval estate has been committed to produce unique wines with character and elegance.
Casa Cadaval
Herdade do Rocim is mainly the result of a desire and a dream.“God wishes, Man dreams, the Work is born” is Fernando Pessoa´s poetic expression which best helps us to understand the circumstances in which the idea arose and the work has been created. This is the path we wish to take.
Herdade do Rocim is an estate located between Vidigueira and Cuba, in the Lower Alentejo, with a size of 120 hectares, 70 of which are vineyards and 10 of olive trees.
At Herdade do Rocim we have always respected the natural vocation of the region´s terroir, producing fresh, elegant and mineral wines.
All the viticulture operations at the Herdade do Rocim are carried out manually, always respecting the terroir and sustainability principles, from the winter pruning through interventions in green until the harvest, where the human hand has a key role.
At the oenology department of the Herdade do Rocim, all the winemaking processes are aimed at the maximum respect for our terroir. Only wild yeasts are used in the making of our monovarietal or field blend wines. With minimal intervention, and always respecting the principles of sustainability, oenology applied here is that of minimal intervention and aims essentially to reflect our terroir within each produced bottle.
At the oenology department of the Herdade do Rocim, all the winemaking processes are aimed at the maximum respect for our terroir. Only wild yeasts are used in the making of our monovarietal or field blend wines. With minimal intervention, and always respecting the principles of sustainability, oenology applied here is that of minimal intervention and aims essentially to reflect our terroir within each produced bottle.
Herdade do Rocim