Quinta Nova
The incredible thing is that all 85 hectares are worked by hand.
Pedro Leite, Export Sales Manager of Quinta Nova, is a man of few words. For him, the ancient vineyards and the superb labels produced on the estate speak for themselves.
Once again, one’s gaze is drawn to the vineyards. Without doubt, this is the eighth wonder of the world.
There are authors who, when they write, seem able to read our very souls. Just like José Saramago, with these words from his Journey to Portugal which truly resonate with me. I recognise and re-live the hypnotic visual ASMR that the terraced topography of the Douro valley gives me: a slight tingling sensation on the skin as the body releases dopamine and serotonin. In a word: happiness.
This is why I return to Portugal so often.
The land is scored by little valleys of terraced vineyards, bordered by olive trees and supported by many kilometres of shale walls, and it constitutes one of the most fascinating architectural artworks in the world. A place where the both power of man and the grandeur of nature are uniquely combined into a singular whole.
Below us, the Douro River is as imposing as it is captivating.
Vines descend steeply until they touch its waters, flouting the very laws of gravity.
For years I’ve heard tell of the Douro Valley, but I would never have expected anything like this.
A magnificent place, and one which is hard to describe. Mirabilis Branco, which I can't wait to taste, could only be born here.
Mirabilis Branco is Quinta Nova's masterpiece. Sample it now, perhaps together with the winery's red.
As I await the arrival of our host, I stroll along the path in front of the little chapel of Quinta Nova, which dates back to 1795. Mere weeks have passed since we last met up with Pedro Leite who here, as in Taboadella, holds the position of Export Sales Manager.
Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo has been owned by the Amorim family since 1999 and, with a history spanning more than 200 years, occupies more than 120 hectares of land and has been cited since the very first demarcation of the Douro wine region in 1756.
The Douro Valley is, in fact, the oldest wine region in the world, a record it has held since 1756.
The property is located in the Cima Corgo sub-region and covers a 1.5 km stretch along the right bank of the Douro River, with a vineyard area of about 85 hectares within the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I hope you're up for a walk: there is much for you to see - Pedro Leite immediately exhorts.
Just like in Taboadella, I recognise in his words the tone, pride and openness of a friend who is opening the doors of his home.
Not one given to idle chit-chat; Pedro doesn’t speak to fill up moments of silence, but only when he has something important to tell you, or when he knows that what he’s about to show you will impress or surprise.
The intense heat of the day is mitigated by the clouds racing across the sky and casting their shadows in an interplay of shapes, that blend in with the river, the hills and the vineyards.
No image can do justice to this place.
Dating back to 1764, the original winery and the 19th-century manor house are harmoniously integrated, each in keeping with their history and the surrounding area.
The white-painted walls, windows, colours and sounds which envelop us are sensory stimuli conveying serenity and peace.
That same peace enjoyed by guests of the Relais & Chateaux, which is located within Quinta Nova, and is an experience not to be missed. It is even a recommended destination in Portugal's Lonely Planet, which extolls it as a 'first-class' overnight stay with 'an extremely romantic atmosphere'.
In this unique location, everything is studied right down to the smallest detail.
A careful and scrupulous precision, which I also find in Mirabilis Branco and Quinta Nova Vinha Centenária - Ref P28/P21: two wines that are quite literally exceptional.
From the terrace of the main house, we gaze out over the hills before us. Simona, at my side, keeps whispering, It’s incredible! Incredible! as Pedro replies that what’s really incredible here is that all 85 hectares are worked by hand.
85 hectares. All worked by hand. One can hardly believe it.
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Every month we travel the world to discover an exclusive winery. Every month you will receive what we consider to be its best bottle delivered directly to your door: a wine that is always new, exclusive and surprising.
Pedro has surprised us and he knows it. With a knowing smile, he points out an orchard on the side of the hill and the path we will have to take to get there: So that you will get an idea of what it really means to work here.
Steps, steps, endless steps. The last ones, which I climb panting, remind me of the Dislivelli in the Valtellina.
And, once we have reached the top, the breath-taking view opening up before us is our reward for every step we have suffered.
When we return, our heads are still in such a whirl that we can barely believe it: there, right before our eyes, comes Nelson Coelho. This is the most welcome and unexpected surprise we could have ever wished for. The Export Sales Manager of Herdade Aldeia de Cima has travelled, the over 530 km which separate him from Quinta Nova, just to come and see us and spend some time together.
It's been months since we last saw each other, so to see him again here today is a real tonic for the soul.
One of a kind, Nelson’s joy, energy and curiosity are invigorating for all those who, like us, are lucky enough to meet him.
In the shade of the beautiful pergola where, together with Nelson, we are expertly guided by Pedro, we immerse ourselves in the wines of Quinta Nova, in an atmosphere of warm fraternity.
Wine is conviviality and friendship; however, laughter, sharing and a sense of freedom are also key ingredients of this unrepeatable moment.
Home: at Quinta Nova, I breathed the scent of home.
There follows a series of bottles, accompanied by a deep sense of wonderment, each astounding and intoxicating our senses. We savour Quinta Nova Rosé, Quinta Nova Blanc de Noir Reserva Bianco, Reserva Grainha Branco, Reserva Grainha Tinto, Quinta Nova Unoaked. Each label is a journey with its very own story of discovery and innovation. Each glass expresses aromas and scents of a land so similar and yet, at the same time, so different.
At Quinta Nova, they are absolute masters at crafting their wines and giving you a taste of the land.
Then, all of a sudden, I ask myself: Why have I come all this way? For Mirabilis Branco.
Once savoured whilst on holiday with Simona in Comporta more than three years ago, it had utterly bewitched me, leaving an indelible memory, right from the very first sip.
However, there’s not a bottle in sight.
I look around, fearing my curiosity might soon turn to disappointment.
As if they’d been reading my mind, Pedro and Nelson tell me there are wines which deserve a more intimate setting and they seat us inside the Relais & Chateaux's dining room.
The lunch is incredible and the atmosphere is even more informal than before.
And then, finally, years later: our paths cross once again.
Mirabilis Branco was born from an immense desire to go further, to go beyond. The dialogue between tradition and innovation is transformed into a sublime, precise and highly sophisticated white wine. A smooth, crisp wine in the mouth, it uses grapes from centuries-old vines, particularly the Viosinho and Gouveio varieties, but also others, with very low production levels, almost non-existent in the region.
And with that first sip, there I am back in Comporta.
Grateful and delighted, no sooner have I returned to the here and now, then the lunch continues with one of Quinta Nova's crown jewels: Quinta Nova Vinha Centenária - Ref. P28/P21.
Simona falls in love with it instantly.
Parcela 28, a plot from which it takes part of its name, is planted with Tinta Roriz and clearly demonstrates the challenge of wine and human tenacity in preserving an ancient and authentic Douro. We are seduced by a contemporary refinement which, combined with a centuries-old vineyard, gives rise to a Referência, an authentic reference in the Portuguese Douro: a red full of minerality, blue berried fruits, rich in spicy notes, with a decisive structure and a very taut mouth-feel.
Sated and now brimming over with wonder, we understand that emotions have been the driving force behind the selection of these two wines which, although challenging and not easy to recount, are the true ambassadors of the extraordinary work being done here at Quinta Nova.
With Simona at my side, we walk among the vines to give ourselves a moment to reflect and understand, with a cool mind, whether we have, indeed, made the best choice.
Amid our chatter and reflections, we find that we’ve arrived at the river bank. We stop before the locked door of a little chapel, erected during the 17th century to protect boatmen who sailed their boats along a particularly treacherous stretch. During the journey, if they ran into difficulty or even found themselves in mortal danger, the boatmen would make promises to their patron saint in exchange for safe passage.
With our minds now a wander, we take this as the sign we’d been looking for: Mirabilis Branco and Quinta Nova Vinha Centenária - Ref. P28/P21 really are the perfect protagonists of this latest journey.
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