Wine is an activity like few others. In addition to gathering friends and pleasures at the table, bringing cultures together, sharing and uniting passions, it can also link friends around a wine project. It is an irresistible magnetism. Across the country, several of these more or less likely alliances embody this spell.
The Elite Vinhos project is another one of those incredible stories of associations of wills and affinities. Portugal is easy to fall in love with, and the ancient history and culture of Reguengos de Monsaraz, of megalithic monuments, chapels and war structures of the past, history interspersed with vines, vines, olive trees, wine cellars, pots and vats, is born yet another history, of those who fell in love with the country and, especially, with the region.
The narrative of this story is very recent, materialized in 2017, but the year of 2014 kicked off this project. At the beginning, a chronicle like many others. A French-Irish couple, Mary Wilkinson and Christian Vermet, who after selling businesses from another business area, in the production of eyeglass frames, embarked on the viticulture and wine business. And because they love the Alentejo, it was there that they advanced, acquiring the Herdade de Ceuta.
But this plot doesn't end there. The other half is still missing. This couple is joined by another. A friendly couple, this time Portuguese, yes, already well into the world of wine and vineyard owners. Filipe Perdiz, an agricultural engineer by profession, with more than 20 years in the field of oenological consultancy and viticulture, longed to achieve his usual ambition, to be a winemaker in his own project. With his wife, trained as a food engineer Helena Godinho, pursuing a professional career in the wine sector. The group of founders of the project is completed. How do you come up with a project together? At the table, it's clear! In conviviality, in the tasting and sharing of wines, in the discovery of the communion of ideas, dreams and desire to do. In this case, making wines, quality wines and an unquestionable Alentejo identity.
Let the work start! Acquisition of more vines, already in the 110 hectares, planted with native grape varieties, which they feel adapted to the place, feels like home, then an agricultural building, transformed into a cellar, where they vinify and bottle their first wines, at their own pace and wills. All under the motto of sustainability, respect for nature, and strong connection to the origins. Naturally and logically, his ecological awareness was on the path to conversion to organic production. The differences are the strength of group work. Refined in the field work, as if it were an open “laboratory”, in the study of the various aspects of viticulture, which led them to a partnership with PORVID (Portuguese Association for the Diversity of the Vine), in order to carry out studies grape varieties, thereby helping to adapt to issues such as climate change.
And it is for this land of the interior, hot and of low rainfall, of clay-limestone soils, that support the grape varieties and culminate in exemplary wines with an Alentejo accent. Highlight to the grape varieties Siria (Wardrobe) Gouveio, Antão Vaz in white, in Aragonêz, Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet, Moreto Preto. The latter, which feels “at home” to this area, has been preserved, from an 80-year-old vine carried in a bowl. Enter the Herdade de Ceuta red wine batch. The first wines are there! In addition to the brands already available, 3 Folhas and Herdade de Ceuta, there will also be Artesano, which will be the top wine, in which winemakers are invited to explore the variables of being able to work with the raw material of this project. Very interesting things will come, that is for sure!
