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PORTUGAL<br />
– SUCCESS STORY –<br />
just some of the techniques which set these wines apart.<br />
“We believe in preserving the authenticity of our region<br />
and the expression of our land through our wines.<br />
Our mission is to produce unique wines that project<br />
our identity”.<br />
Currently, the winery is located almost on the border<br />
of Portugal and Spain to the north. It produces wines<br />
from three varieties of white grape (Alvarinho, Loureiro,<br />
Avesso) and one red grape (Alvarelhão) in three<br />
sub-regions of the demarcated Vinho Verde region:<br />
Alvarinho and Alvarelhão in the Minho valley; Loureiro<br />
in the Lima valley; and Avesso in the Douro valley. It<br />
also produces wines in other regions across the country.<br />
In Dão, it has a 6-ha estate at Quinta de Silvares, whilst<br />
on Terceira Island (Azores) it produces Magma wines<br />
from the Verdelho grape. Similarly, it produces wines in<br />
the Douro and Beira inland regions.<br />
Quinta da Torre is the largest Alvarinho Estate in Monção e Melgaço and the<br />
birthplace of Anselmo Mendes Wines<br />
CANTANHEDE<br />
This co-operative has 500 vine grower members,<br />
was founded in 1954 and has 52 employees. It has<br />
1,000 hectares of vineyards located in the wine region<br />
of Bairrada, in the town of Cantanhede, from where<br />
it takes its name. It harvests between 6 and 8 million<br />
kilos of grapes a year, and is the region’s largest wine<br />
producer (40% of the total). Eighty percent of its<br />
production is labelled DOC [Registered Designation<br />
of Origin] Bairrada and Beira Atlántico, and it leads<br />
the way for sales of wines and sparkling wines in these<br />
designations.<br />
The use of modern technology has led to a significant<br />
leap in quality in the wines, which is of paramount<br />
importance considering competition in the international<br />
market. It has focused improvements on food safety (the<br />
winery is certified by the International Standards for<br />
Food Quality and Safety ISO 9001: 2015 and IFS FOOD<br />
6.1) and enhancing and developing Portuguese grapes,<br />
in particular varieties traditional to the Bairrada region,<br />
such as Baga, Bical and Maria Gomes, and also Touriga<br />
Nacional, Aragonez and Arinto, amongst others.<br />
Traditional harvesting by hand at Cantanhede<br />
SPRING 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 79
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