Winebow Producer Book

DOC VinhoVerde , VR Alentejo, Portugal

Winery Overview João Portugal Ramos is considered Portugal’s most famous winemaker. Before he began making his own wines, he was a pioneering wine consultant widely considered Portugal’s Pierro Antinori or Emile Peynaud (The New York Times). His many accolades include winning 2010 Personality of the Year and 2006 Producer of the Year (Essencia do Vinho); 2010 Viticulture Team of the Year, 2000 Winemaker of the Year, and 1998 Company of the Year (Revista de Vinhos); 1999 & 2004 Winemaker of the Year and 2004 Producer of the Year (Vin & Mat, Sweden); 2004 Newcomer of the Year (Wein Gourmet, Germany); and the 2008 Prize for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture). In the decades that Ramos has consulted, he almost single handedly opened Portuguese winemaking to the benefits of modern technologies with an emphasis on low yields, occasional oak aging and the preservation of a grape’s natural fruit flavors. In 1990, he decided it was time to start creating his own wine and he began planting vineyards in Alentejo around his new winery, Vila Santa. Location of Vineyard J. Portugal Ramos’ 1,250 acres of vineyard are located near the ancient marble filled town of Estremoz in Alentejo. The schist and limestone-clay soil, combined with the region’s Continental climate, create ideal conditions for growing grapes. Ramos’s wines quickly met critical acclaim, and he expanded his projects to select locations in Beiras, Douro and Vinho Verde. Winemaking Philosophy Ramos draws from his decades of experience to carefully create a range of wines. Depending on the provenance and variety of the grape, Ramos employs temperature controlled vinification in steel tanks or traditional foot treading in marble lagares, followed by aging in barrique to add richness of character. For all his wines, he employs advanced quality control systems that have set the standard in Portugal.