-
-
-
2015 Quinta de Paços Casa do Capitão-Mor Reserva Alvarinho, Vinho Verde, PortugalMarch 19, 2017
-
Quinta de Paços is a family-owned Portuguese winery located in the Northern part of the country, in the region of Minho near the locale of Barcelos, Portugal.
The property has belonged to the same family for more than 500 years, covering now over 200 hectares of agricultural land.
Join us as we discover and learn more about the Quinta and their wines.
Quinta de Paços Wine Reviews & Tasting Notes
Brief history
Quinta de Paços Sociedade Agrícola, Lda. is a company which cultivates its vineyards and land with the aim of producing high-quality wines displaying a distinctive personality. The emphasis is given to the wine’s natural and authentic character.
The Casa de Paços has belonged to the same family for more than 500 years and 16 generations, maintaining a tradition of expertise of winemaking in Minho region for over 4 centuries.
In the XIX century the company’s 2 main estates: Casa de Paços also called Quinta de Paços in Barcelos, and Casa do Capitão-Mor or Quinta da Boavista in Monção, had gained international as attested by the most ancient prizes publicly known in the region of Minho: as award won in Philadelphia in 1876, during the USA Centennial exhibition.
Records show that the Casa de Paços – Quinta de Paços wine was considered “very good“ both in taste and bouquet. Two other trophies were awarded to the Casa do Capitão-Mor – Quinta da Boavista wine at the Exhibition of Portuguese Wines in Berlin in 1888.
Location
The Quinta’s property is divided into 5 estates around the town of Barcelos: Casa or Quinta de Paços, Prazo da Cotovia, Morgadio do Perdigão, Quinta de Vila Meã, and Morgadiode Real, and 1 estate in the municipality of Monção: Casa do Capitão-Mor on the Quinta da Boavista.
Climate
In the estate Quinta da Boavista (Monção), the climate is between continental and maritime climate, generally with cold winters but no snow or frost, and hot summers with temperatures reaching 40º Celsius or more.
Soil types
The soil composition here ranges from the calc-alkaline granites with porphyritic texture, to schist patches in small areas. Likewise, the hilly topography features different exposures to sunlight.
In Casa do Capitão-Mor – Quinta da Boavista in particular, the calc-alkaline granitic soil is covered in round pebbles and gravels.
Vineyards and grape varieties
The Quinta de Paços various vineyards host the following wine grape varieties:
- Casa do Capitão-Mor – Quinta da Boavista is planted in the white Alvarinho grape variety
- Planted in the Casa de Paços – Quinta de Paços, Prazo da Cotovia, Morgadio do Perdigão, Quinta de Vila Meã ,and Morgadio de Real, are the Loureiro, Arinto, and Fernão Pires.
Winery
The Quinta de Paços current winery buildings were built in 1993. The main winemaking facilities were constructed using the old stable of cattle.
The current winery’s tank capacity is made up from 23 stainless steel tanks of various volumes.
The Quinta Boavista winery has fewer stainless steel tanks: 12 in total also with different storage capacities.
Viticulture
The existence of vineyards in Casa de Paços – Quinta de Paços dates back to the XVI century.
Over time, cultivation techniques have evolved. In the 20th century, vineyards excelled thanks to an unusual combination of white wine grape varieties: Alvarinho, Arinto, Loureiro and Fernão Pires.
A new training system was introduced, part of then was planted in a descending simple row, at 1,7 metro high and since the year 2006 also in ascendant row at 1m high.
Today, an integrated production system makes for an efficient viticulture.
People
Owners: José Ramos, an economist by profession and his son Paulo Ramos, Marketing professor, both with experience in management
Winemakers: Rui Cunha is the consultant enologist and Gabriela Albuquerque is the permanent
winemaker.
Viticulture: Luís Meneses is the head viticulturalist.
Wines
2016 overall production: 40.000 bottles in total, divided into the following labels:
– Casa de Capitão – Mor, DOC, Sub-regions of Monção e Melgaço
– Casa de Capitão – Mor Reserva, DOC, Sub-regions of Monção e Melgaço
– Morgado do Perdigão, Vinho Regional Minho
– Casa de Paços Arinto Reserva, Vinho Regional Minho
– Casa de Paços Loureiro e Arinto, DOC
– Casa de Paços Fernão Pires, Vinho Regional Minho
– Casa de Paços Superior, Vinho Regional Minho appelation
– Casa de Paços Loureiro, Vinho Verde DOC
– Casa de Paços Rosé, DOC
For all wines, grapes are hand harvested, destemmed, and part of them are submitted to maceration on skins for 5 hours under controlled temperature. After being cold-settled, the must is fermented in stainless steel at low temperature and the wine stays resting on its lees with regular batonnage (lees stirring) until bottling.
Cellar Doors & Winery Visit Information
From 10:00 am to 12:30 pm and from 2:30 pm to 6:00 pm, Monday to Saturday. Booking is recommended 24 hours in advance.
Visits on Sundays are available by appointment only with 72 hours notice, and only for groups over 8 persons.
Casa de Paços in Video
More about Quinta de Paços
On Facebook: Quinta de Paços
Website: QuintaPacos.com