The Farm
Quinta do Cerrado da Porta was acquired by its current owners in 1995. It was a property of around 3 hectares, with an 18th century country house in a very poor state of repair. The renovation work on the building took several years to complete. After the first phase of renovation was completed in 1999, the owners left Lisbon, where they lived, and moved to the Quinta with their two teenage children. Both doctors, for years they travelled to the capital almost every day to carry out their professional activities. Their children got married in the meantime and moved to Lisbon. Now it is their grandchildren who spend their weekends at the Quinta.
The vineyards
Initially, only one hectare of the 3 hectares of land surrounding the Quinta was occupied by vineyards. In 2011, with the creation of the agricultural company "Cerrado da Porta Lda", more land was acquired and leased, resulting in the Quinta having a farm area of 17 hectares, of which 13 are occupied by vineyards, the majority of which were planted in 2013 and 2014. The varieties chosen were 3 white grape varieties (Chardonnay, Arinto and Moscatel Graúdo) and 5 red grape varieties (Pinot Noir, Touriga Nacional, Syrah, Merlot and Castelão). It was believed that these varieties were the most suitable for the conditions of a very special terroir, with clay-limestone soils, very rugged terrain and a climate subject to cool nights, misty mornings and strong Atlantic winds.
Wine production
For years, the grapes produced in the small vineyard next to the house were given to neighbouring winegrowers or delivered to the nearby Adega Cooperativa de Dois Portos. In 2011, with the creation of the winery and the construction of a winery, the aim became to produce its own brand of wines. In 2013, with grapes purchased from local winegrowers, the Quinta produced its first wines. It was only with the 2015 harvest that the desired phase of production exclusively with its own grapes was entered, vinified in the Quinta's small but technologically advanced winery. This first harvest yielded around 55 tonnes of grapes, which produced around 40,000 litres of wine. It was then possible to present the first "estates wines", with full control over their viticulture and winemaking. Currently, around 100-120 tons of grapes are harvested per harvest, with some sold to large producers in the region and the best grapes from selected plots being reserved for the company's own winemaking. Four brands are sold: Troviscal is the brand for blended wines, i.e., carefully blended grape varieties that complement and balance each other; the Peripécia brand is for varietal wines, i.e., wines produced from a single grape variety, which allows them to showcase their full character; the Capicua brand offers sweet wines, a fortified wine and a late harvest wine for special occasions. Finally, the Quinta do Cerrado da Porta brand is exclusively for quality sparkling wines.
Dezembro de 1995. A casa da Quinta, quando foi comprada pelos atuais proprietários.
Março de 2002. A casa da Quinta, na ultima fase da sua recuperação e ampliação.
Março de 2005. A Quinta, com a casa reconstruída e o jardim em crescimento.
Julho de 2011. Construção do suporte do telhado da adega, em madeira e segundo os métodos tradicionais da região.
Agosto de 2011. O magnífico aspecto do teto da adega, totalmente forrado a madeira.
Agosto de 2012. Preparação dos terrenos para a plantação de bacelos. As valas receberão tubos de drenagem profunda.
Julho de 2013. Vinha embacelada já com postes de madeira e de alumínio para suportar os arames de condução das videiras.
Maio de 2013. Marcação das linhas de cepas e dos pontos onde serão plantados os bacelos.
Maio de 2013. Plantação de bacelos pré-enxertados.
Junho de 2013. Visão geral dos bacelos plantados, com os tubos que os protegem do ataque de coelhos e que favorecem o crescimento das plantas.
Fevereiro de 2014. Primeiras vinificações experimentais na adega, com equipamento mínimo e com uvas compradas a viticultores da região.
30 de julho de 2015. Início da instalação de modernas cubas de inox, a maioria capacitada para vinificação com controlo de temperatura. A adega ficou com uma capacidade total de 100.000 litros
14 de agosto de 2015. Chegada da indispensável e magnífica prensa pneumática computadorizada.
20 de agosto de 2015. Finalmente a adega está completamente preparada para a primeira vinificação com uvas próprias.
21 de agosto de 2015. Colheita manual de uvas Arinto, para base de espumante: a primeira vindima a ser vinificada na nova adega.
21 de agosto de 2015. As primeiras uvas chegam à adega da Quinta, para desengace e esmagamento.
21 de agosto de 2015. Depois de esmagadas, as uvas são enviadas para prensagem, começando logo a recolher-se o mosto, que vai ser enviado para as cubas de fermentação.
21 de agosto de 2015. a tubagem de envio do mosto para uma das cubas de inox de 5.000 litros, onde irá fermentar à temperatura de 12ºC.