WINE AND WOMEN – Portugal is home to an array of wine styles that can cater to every palate, and it’s no surprise that many women are enthusiastic consumers and key players in the wine industry.
In recent years, the Portuguese wine scene has been graced by many gifted women who are creating high-quality wines and revolutionizing traditional practices. These women are often involved in every step of the winemaking process, from vineyard management to marketing, ensuring that their philosophies come through in each bottle.
This month we celebrate these talented women. Here’s a look at some remarkable Portuguese wines made by extraordinary female winemakers that are ideal for women wine enthusiasts alike. Each of these selections showcases the brilliance of women in the industry and represents the diversity and richness of Portuguese terroir. Whether you’re new to wine or a seasoned connoisseur, these exceptional wines offer a diverse world of flavors, aromas, and experiences to discover. As you explore these wines, celebrate not just their taste but also the stories and dedication of the women behind them.
I am happy to share that my new article has already been published in the February issue of the Algarve Plus Magazine in Portugal.
The magazine is readable online or downloaded for free here.
Cheers to the changing landscape of wine and the women who are shaping it for the better!
Or read here my whole article:
Women’s Wines
Portugal is home to an array of wine styles that can cater to every palate, and it’s no surprise that many women are not only enthusiastic consumers but also key players in the wine industry.
Women, who are increasingly becoming influential in wine choices and production, are seeking wines that offer complexity, versatility, and, of course, a sense of enjoyment. When considering which wines may appeal more to women, it’s essential to recognize that taste preferences vary widely. Women’s palates can also appreciate lighter reds, refreshing whites, and exquisite rosés, making these categories particularly inviting for many. However, certain characteristics often resonate, such as elegance, complexity, and a balance of fruitiness and acidity.
In recent years, the Portuguese wine scene has been graced by many gifted women who are creating high-quality wines and revolutionizing traditional practices. These women bring innovation, sustainability, and a deep-rooted understanding of terroir, which allows them to produce wines with character and charm. They are often involved in every step of the winemaking process, from vineyard management to marketing, ensuring that their philosophies come through in each bottle.
This month we celebrate these talented women. Here’s a look at ten remarkable Portuguese wines made by extraordinary female winemakers that are ideal for women wine enthusiasts alike. Each of these selections showcases the brilliance of women in the industry and represents the diversity and richness of Portuguese terroir. Whether you’re new to wine or a seasoned connoisseur, these ten exceptional wines offer a diverse world of flavors, aromas, and experiences to discover. As you explore these wines, celebrate not just their taste but also the stories and dedication of the women behind them.
Cheers to the changing landscape of wine and the women who are shaping it for the better!
1. Marta Soares / Casal Figueira, Lisboa
Although Marta Soares an artist and teacher, is the woman behind Casal Figueira Wines, a wine project that was started over 20 years ago by her husband, António Carvalho. They began as pioneers in bio-dynamic winemaking at the turn of the century, about 80 km north of Lisbon. But Marta has been making wine for 14 years on her own, continuing her dead husband’s work. As she explains “Casal Figueira was never a place, it was a spirit. It was about not being fearful. Sooner or later you find your own way, so don’t be afraid of making mistakes.” The winery, although small in production, has become a true cult in Portugal. But the majority of their wines, in fact 99%, are sold abroad.
My recommendation: Antonio Branco 2020, Casal Figueira
Undoubtedly one of the purest and most characterful white wines produced in Portugal. Unique in every way. The Vital grape is still found in a handful of small parcels, just above Lisbon, on the northern slopes of the Serra do Montejunto. The aromas and palate provide a bright lemon punch with crushed dried herbs, flint, oyster shell, and a subtle saline note.
2. Filipa Pato / Filipa Pato & William Wouters, Bairrada
Filipa grew up immersed in her family’s wines, vineyards, and culture, influenced by the terroir-driven wines of the ‘Baga rebel’, one of Portugal’s legendary winemakers. As the years have passed she has managed to emerge from the shadow of her father, the famous Luís Pato, and chart her own path, confident and original. Her passion for the traditional indigenous grape varieties of Bairrada led her to start her own project in 2001. Using biodynamic farming practices and minimal-intervention winemaking, focusing solely on indigenous grapes, she produces authentic wines. In 2020 she was elected “Winemaker of the Year” by Revista de Vinhos.
My recommendation: Nossa Calcário Red 2021
Bright violet-colored wine with persistent tears. Fresh aromas of red fruits, and wild scrubland, overlaid with a rocky, mineral character, and subtle toasted notes on the nose. Very elegant on the palate. Well structured as much by freshness as by tannin. Long, juicy finish with red fruit flavors.
3. Susana Esteban / Susana Esteban Vinhos, Alentejo
Susana Esteban was born in Spain. She began her career as a winemaker in the Douro. Since the 2007 harvest, she has worked as a consultant for different producers in the Alentejo. During this journey, her work has been recognized both nationally and internationally. In 2012, she was awarded the title of “Winemaker of the Year”, by Revista de Vinhos. At the end of 2009, Susana Esteban decided to start her project to make wines with a different character from traditional Alentejo.
My recommendation: Aventura Red 2022
In this violet-red colored wine, the freshness is evident from the very first moment. Fruity and elegant aromas with a lovely floral hint on the nose. On the palate, firm tannins and a refreshing acidity restrain the seductive and silky finish. A wine of pure elegance with good aging potential.
4. Sandra Tavares da Silva / Wine & Soul, Douro
Sandra is from Lisbon, where she studied agronomy. After completing her degree, she decided to take her master’s in enology in Italy. With her heart back in Portugal, there was only one region where she hadn’t explored or worked, the Douro Valley. In 1999, she came to the Douro for an internship, and that job opened the doors to her future home. In the same year, Sandra met Jorge, her husband and business partner. Just two years later, they got married and their winemaking project called ‘Wine & Soul’ was born. Their winery focuses on a tireless search for exceptional vines in the Pinhão Valley to give them a voice.
My recommendation: Pintas Tinto Douro DOC
Complex, sophisticated and harmonious. This red is rich and pure with notes of black cherry, black currant and spice flavors with expressive minerality. The palate is bright and focused with refined tannins, amazing fruit and a terrific finish.
5. Filipa Tomaz da Costa / Bacalhôa, Setúbal
Filipa Tomaz da Costa was born in Ribatejo but spent more than half of her life with Sado nearby. Bacalhôa’s winemaking director arrived at Quinta de Azeitão in 1981 and witnessed the first bottling of the house’s celebrated red wine. Along the way, other emblematic wines have also passed through his hands over these four decades. Now she has been in charge of wines from the Setúbal Peninsula. She received the award ‘Generous Winemaker of the Year’ in 2013 from Revista de Vinhos.
My recommendation: Catarina Branco, Bacalhôa
This Catarina has a similar style to a white Burgundy. The wine is produced with the two main Portuguese white varieties from the Setúbal Peninsula, Fernão Pires and Arinto, and the most famous white variety in the world, Chardonnay. A delicate and elegant wine with mineral and floral aromas, and notes of fruit, combined with subtle sensations of toasted wood, presenting a firm, fresh, mineral, long and complex finish. It goes well with fish and milder dishes, and ages very well in the bottle.
6. Joana De Castro / Quinta de Lourosa, Vinho Verde
In the winding landscape of Lousada, lies the superb Quinta de Lourosa, a living testament to a tradition rooted in the heart of a family. Rogério de Castro decided decades ago to invest in the family legacy, transforming it into a wine oasis. Joana followed the same path as her father, sharing his passion for the land and wine. But the Quinta is not limited just to producing excellent wine; it is also a wine tourism destination. Joana is responsible for designing unique experiences that celebrate the union between Vinho Verde and the cultural richness of the region.
My recommendation: Quinta de Lourosa Alvarinho 2020 Branco
The 50% of hand-selected Alvarinho grapes were fermented and aged in new oak barrels. The result is a crystal yellow-colored wine with intense and complex citrus aromas and toasted mineral notes. On the palate, rich, fruity flavors and a fresh and balanced acidity. The finish is persistent with good balance. Ideal for fatty fish, seafood, casseroles, and Japanese and Indian cuisine.
7. Joana Cunha / Quinta do Mondego, Dão
After finishing a course in Microbiology, which turned out to be a good basis for enology, the giant passion for wine spoke louder and Joana Cunha eventually did a postgraduate degree in enology and viticulture at the university, to deepen her knowledge. And, when her family bought Quinta do Mondego in 1994, it was the beginning of the realization of her dream. What started with a huge passion for wine is now a family business. And Joana took the first steps towards becoming one of the most important producers and winemakers in the Dão region.
My recommendation: Quinta do Mondego Rosé 2022
This salmon-colored wine has medium-expressive aromas with light notes of red fruits, currants and raspberries. On the palate, it is very fresh, with attractive flavors of red fruits, vibrant acidity, and good volume. Excellent with lean grilled meat, pizza, tapas, sushi, and risotto.
8. Joana Roque do Vale / Roquevale, Alentejo
Joana Roque do Vale’s connection with wine dates back to her childhood, in Torres Vedras, where her great-grandparents were already producers. The Roquevale was born in the 1980s by his father, who launched Terras de Xisto, Tinto da Talha and Redondo brands. Joana started working in the family business in 1995 and took over the enology department the next year. Today, the Roquevale sells more than three million liters of wine. It is the second-largest private company in Alentejo.
My recommendation: Roquevale Branco
Produced from the Fernão Pires, Roupeiro and Arinto grapes, this white wine has a light golden tone in color. On the nose, aromas of ripe fruits, some herbal tea, and notes of wood. On the palate, a dry wine with good acidity and citrusy flavors with hints of grapefruit, and good volume.
9. Martta Simões / Quinta da Alorna, Tejo
Martta Reis Simões is the woman whose mission is to defend the reputation of an agricultural house that is intertwined with the history of Quinta da Alorna in Portugal, but always with a restless spirit in creating new concepts in the world of wine. She is a winemaker from the USA. As the granddaughter of farmers, she had contact with the vineyard and every year in September she participated in the harvest at home. Wine was always a constant presence in her family’s life and on weekends good bottles of wine were drunk. So that was natural and obvious that she became an enology. And in 2003, Martta decided to join Quinta da Alorna to contribute to the development of their wines.
My recommendation: Marquesa de Alorna Grande Reserva Tinto
This great aromatic red wine presents a good integration of wild fruit aromas such as blackberry and raspberry with a fragrant touch suggesting equally wildflowers. The notes of spices, chocolate and toasted hints of new wood are also combined in it. Despite the firm tannins that give it a unique structure, it reveals a silky texture on the palate. Due to its complexity, it has a long-lasting finish, maintaining its aromatic notes.
No Comments Found