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PORTUGAL
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Quinta das Arcas
WINERY OVERVIEW
Quinta das Arcas, which produces Conde Villar and Tapada de Villar wines, is a family owned
winery that was founded in 1985 by Antonio Esteves Monteiro. The family owns significant
vineyard holdings in both the DOC Vinho Verde (Minho) as well as DOC Alentejo. In the Vinho
Verde region where the company is headquartered, the production is obtained from three
estates, totaling more than 295 acres (120 hectares) of vineyardS. Further south, in Alentejo,
the winery’s holdings included 150 acres (60 hectares) of vineyards with Portuguese and
international varieties highly adapted to the region and also 75 acres (30 hectares) of olive
trees. The winery also engages in cheese-making from cow’s milk produced on the estate.
LOCATION OF VINEYARD
Conde Villar, the Vinho Verde wines, are produced in northwest Portugal, on the Spanish
border. The vineyards here are influenced by a very special microclimate formed in the
valley of the Ferreira River, which along with cool Atlantic breezes lowers the temperature,
particularly toward the end of the growing cycle. The vineyards are located about 20 miles
(32 kilometers) from the ocean, at an average of 490 feet (150 meters) high. The Vinho Verde
vineyards are planted on schist, black slate, and granite. The average age of these vineyards is
about 20 years, and no irrigation is used after the first few years to develop healthy roots.
The wines produced in the Alentejo are about 250 miles (400 km) south of the Vinho
Verde region, inland from the ocean. The vineyards are planted on clay and schist soils. The
location is favorable to wine growing, benefitting from outstanding sun exposure and severe
temperature shifts between day and night. The winery is located in the middle of the vineyard,
making a quick trip for the grapes from vine to crush. The climate is very hot and very dry,
with temperatures rising to about 100°F (38°C) at harvest. The average age of the vines
is 12 years.