Quinta de Soalheiro, a pioneer in the creation of Alvarinho wine in Melgaço, is an international benchmark for the wines of this grape variety, blending perfectly into the distinctive Minho landscape surrounding it. Located in Melgaço (Portugal’s northernmost point) it is protected by a range of mountains that create the conditions necessary for the best ripening of the Alvarinho grapes.
History of the Family and the Brand
In the 1970s (1974) his passion for winemaking led João António Cerdeira, with the support of his father, to plant the first Alvarinho vines and create the first brand of Alvarinho in Melgaço in 1982. Quinta de Soalheiro has a deeply family-run nature, and the dedication to wine is expressed in its elegant, vibrant wines. The work is currently managed by Maria Palmira Cerdeira and her children, Maria João Cerdeira and António Luís Cerdeira, the Quinta’s winemaker.
Quinta de Soalheiro has evolved steadily and gradually. The winery, which was recently refurbished, creates an area where it is possible to optimise the winemaking with specific areas for fermentation and aging, while maintaining the conditions to pamper the wines, making them unique. The small essential details are not overlooked to ensure consistency in the quality of these great wines, creating an area which respects winegrowing and winemaking tradition.
Soalheiro is considered an expert in Alvarinho by international and national opinion leaders. Three tiers of the variety are highlighted in its range of wines:
- Soalheiro Clássico – a classic; the wine with the most extensive
international presence; - Soalheiro Primeiras Vinhas – a benchmark among Alvarinhos and considered, four consecutive times, the Best National White Wine; and
- Soalheiro Reserva – the ultimate expression of the Alvarinho grape variety with fermentation in the barrel.
These are joined by the two Soalheiro sparkling wines; the classic Brut and, more recently, the Brut Rosé. These two wines demonstrate that moderately low alcohol can also be associated with high-quality wines. Furthermore, there are the Granit and
Terramatter wines, the latter being a totally different Soalheiro, made from organically produced grapes.
In the year it commemorates 35 years, the family launches their natural wine Soalheiro Nature “Pur Terroir”. The first organic Alvarinho produced without the addition of sulfites. The doors are open to innovation and to a new world of tasting pleasures previously unknown to us.
The Wines We Will Pour at the Festival
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Where Else To Find Us
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