We went to Ponte de Lima to meet Mr Fábio Correia, the Maintenance Manager at Quinta do Ameal and Quinta dos Murças, which are part of Esporão.
Mr Fábio Correia, who has a degree in Electromechanical Engineering, joined Esporão in 2010 as Head of Maintenance at Quinta dos Murças and later at Quinta do Ameal. He told us that being part of the inauguration of both farms was challenging, but everything went well.
We also met Mafalda Magalhães, the new oenologist at Esporão. She told us that she spent eight years in Argentina and now at Esporão she’s looking to innovate and show the full potential of the laurel.
The Esporão
Esporão was born in Reguengos de Monsaraz, in a territory with more than 750 years of history, gentle plains and the greatest diversity of soil types.
Herdade do Esporão has around 702 hectares of vineyards, olive groves and other crops, and a total of 40 grape varieties, 4 olive varieties, orchards and vegetable gardens.
In order to diversify its wine portfolio, Esporão decided to invest in wines from the Douro and Vinho Verde regions, with the purchase of Quinta dos Murças in 2007 and Quinta do Ameal in 2019.
Quinta do Ameal
Quinta do Ameal is located in the demarcated Vinho Verde region. This property has more than 300 years of history.
It was clear that the quinta was in need of some love and attention. The old cowshed was lovingly transformed into the new winery, as the old winery was just too small to meet the desired production goals.
The new cellar is so much more airy, and it’s a real joy to see how it provides a more stable ambient temperature without any sudden changes. It is open to allow air to circulate and not accumulate CO2.
The 14 hectares of vineyards located next to the River Lima don’t feel the weather changes much. It’s foggy in the morning, but after a few hours you can feel the warmth of the sun.
Quinta do Ameal’s greatest challenge is humidity. This makes it difficult to grow organic vines. They already have a plot of organic vines, but their expansion is hampered by the need for more intense and regular treatments. They also can’t use the stalks and prunings as compost to apply to the vines, as they do at Quintas dos Murças. This is because it’s an area where there is a lot of disease, and this can further encourage its appearance.
The Weighbridge
Despite all the controversies, difficulties and challenges that arose during the construction project, the first harvest began about a month after the work was finished.
Quinta do Ameal receives around 400 tonnes of grapes every year. The grapes arrive in crates and are weighed at Barcelbal’s Ponte Pesa Truck Scale.
Quinta do Ameal uses a metal weighbridge to weigh the grapes when they arrive at the winery. This is built into the ground to make it easier for the tractors to move around. The weighbridge is 16 x 3 metres big and can weigh 60 tonnes. This means it can control the weight of several vehicles. Engineer Fábio Correia says that “60 tonnes is too much for Quinta do Ameal, but it works very well and is simple to operate”. However, this investment allows Quinta do Ameal to be equipped with weighing equipment that will support its future growth.
“I love working with Barcelbal. They’re always incredibly helpful. If I call to solve a problem, they’re always there.”
Eng. Fábio Correia
Production
After weighing, the grapes are placed on the sorting table. Here, they are separated from those that don’t fulfil the requirements. This is essential to guarantee the quality of the wine produced at Quinta do Ameal.
The grapes are then sent straight to the press, without going through the destemmer. The top quality wine is stored in cement vats. These allow for natural micro-oxygenation and do not use reassembly pumps.
The wine is then loaded into tanks and sent to Reguengos de Monsaraz. Here, it is bottled, labelled and distributed.
The wines
Quinta do Ameal’s portfolio is made up of four outstanding wines: Bico Amarelo, Loureiro, Solo Único and Reserva.
Quinta do Ameal is unequivocally focused on producing wine exclusively from the Loureiro grape variety. The winery’s selection of plots and meticulous vinification processes set it apart.
Experimentation is at the core of its winemaking, with trials conducted in stainless steel, cement, clay and wood vats. The winery is committed to exploring the full ageing potential of Loureiro wine and produces the base for sparkling wine and passito, a liqueur-like wine.
A significant portion of Quinta do Ameal’s entry-level Bico Amarelo wine is exported to Brazil and the United States, where lighter wines with lower alcohol content are particularly favoured.
Wine Tourism
Quinta do Ameal is the perfect retreat for those seeking the peace and quiet of the countryside and nature. Located in the heart of the Vinho Verde region, our two country houses and our welcoming, friendly staff ensure a fantastic stay for all holidaymakers. During the grape harvest, you will take part in the harvest, visit the vineyards and winery, and learn how the whole wine production process is carried out.
Esporão’s success is our success!
