The Vinho Verde region is a unique demarcated region in the world with approximately 20,000 ha of planted vineyards. It has about 20,000 producers with plots of less than 1ha.
| Grape | Arinto, Loureiro |
| Style | White, Dry, Medium Bodied, Sparkling, Brioche, Minerality, Citrus Fruits |
| Country | Portugal |
| Region | Vinho Verde |
| Volume | 75cl |
| ABV | 12.5% |
| Dietary | None |
Portal da Calcada Espumante de Vinho Verde is bright citrus yellow in colour with light golden nuances. Elegant and persistent aroma, with light brioche and dried fruit notes balanced by high salinity and minerality which is typical of the region. Good body, light toasty, complex and crisp acidity resulting in a persistent and long finish.
About the Producer
It is a mountainous region that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the mountain massif that borders the Douro. The average rainfall in the region is between 1,200 and 1,600 mm/m2.
The Vinho Verde region has 20 white varieties and 17 red varieties recommended or allowed to produce DOC wines. The soils of the region are essentially granitic, with a sandy, loamy-sandy texture, there are also some patches of shale with clay.
In 1917, Lago Cerqueira founded the Caves da Calçada with the construction of a cellar in the House. Casa da Calçada had been producing wines for a long time, and had a crown to prove it. This is now the oldest vineyard in the region.
Lago Cerqueira presents itself as anything but traditional: it institutes new vineyard configurations, and boosts the wine business in order to be the first Vinho Verde entrepreneur to export abroad with Brazil the lucky recipient.
The Vinho Verde region was already an officially demarcated region since 1908. This recognition marked the birth of Vinho Verde's identity as a product with its own personality. Amarante has always been a major hub of agricultural production, and wine production was not far behind. It was one of the first five sub-regions of the appellation of origin controlled next to Monção, Lima, Basto and Braga.
It is believed that Casa da Calçada was built in 1707, but the registration of the first guests only takes place in 1809. We are talking about Napoleon's invading army that, after prolonged resistance on the part of the Amarantines, settled on that property to be closer to of the wine that was already produced there. Before leaving, they signed the guest book with torches – setting the House on fire.
It was the Lago Cerqueira family that at the end of the 19th century bought the property and rebuilt it. An art lover with refined tastes, António Lago Cerqueira made use of his fortune to transform that colossus into a comfortable palace, decorating the interior of the building with delicacy, elegance but also with a character markedly open to whoever came to see it.
Manuel da Mota, a highly successful Amarantine timber entrepreneur and friend of the late Lago Cerqueira, was already looking at Casa da Calçada from his Casa do Pinheiro Manso – located a little further up the slope. The success of his company allowed him to buy, at the end of the 60's, the palace of Lago Cerqueira and the wine project associated with it. After the purchase, he moved with his family to Casa da Calçada and began the recovery process, also continuing the production of renowned wine.
Manuel da Mota died in 1995, but he made his plans for Casa da Calçada very clear: it should become a hotel, and thus open its treasures to those who know how to appreciate them.
It was up to Manuel da Mota's youngest daughter, Paula Mota, to carry out her father's wish. It was in 2001, on the front page of a new millennium, that Casa da Calçada began its new life as a hotel. The fine decoration and pieces of art that fill Casa da Calçada were open to all those able to appreciate them. The warm and familiar atmosphere of the palace is preserved for all guests in the 30 rooms and suites, in a commitment to quality that in 2003 led to the hotel's integration into the prestigious Relais & Châteaux chain.
With a full awareness of this dense and honorable history of the properties that comprise it, the CALÇADA brand intends nothing less than to rekindle that flame that appears cyclically with a special epicenter: Casa da Calçada. If terroir is the perfect combination of vineyard and land, a wine brand is the ideal combination of history and vision.
Vineyard and Wine Making
Quinta da Calçada is located in the historic center of Amarante, 40 minutes from Porto. It is located in the sub-region of Amarante, in the Vinho Verde region, about 10 minutes from the entrance to the Douro region. This sub-region is characterized by granitic soils, with some mixtures of schist, and Atlantic influence, producing wines markedly mineral, of high freshness and great gastronomic aptitude.
The remarkable extension of vineyards – more than 50 hectares with varying ages that extend up to the beginning of the 20th century – allows us to interpret the different terroirs. Among these lands they proudly count a heritage of the rich history of Quinta da Calçada. We are talking here about a parcel of vineyard that is certified as the oldest in the Vinho Verde region – 0.5 hectares of extreme vineyard positioned on a single terrace.
Quinta da Calçada has always asserted itself in the production of quality wines, focusing on the interpretation of terroir wines, specializing in white wines.
At Quinta da Calçada they have a philosophy of non-intervention and respect for nature. To this end, they mainly adopt traditional winemaking techniques, and wherever possible try to adapt them to a sustainability strategy. The wines are a reflection of their interpretation of the vineyards, with a focus on the consumer and the moment of consumption.
When it comes to the selection of grape varieties, they remained faithful to those that define the demarcated region of Vinho Verde. They are: Alvarinho, Arinto, Azal, Loureiro and Vinhão.
The cellar technology is adapted to the production focus of white and rosé wines. They focus on the cultivation of the fruit: choosing the optimal point of maturation, a manual harvest and selection of the grapes by type of wine and their careful transport to the cellar.
The oenological techniques used are primarily for the preservation and respect of the fruit, exploring the subtleties it offers, and which they seek to reflect in the wines produced.
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