With the Douro at your feet
It was from the Douro River, on a boat trip, that the patriarch of the Cardoso Family saw for the first time the property he would later call his own: Quinta do Reguengo, in Pocinho (Vila Nova de Foz Côa).
If the beauty of the World Heritage Region enchanted the Family, it was the will and vision to create excellent wines that made it stay, since 2018, to give new life to the “reguengo” that once belonged to Queen D. Amélia.
The rehabilitation of the cellar and mills, as well as the restructuring of the vineyard, are already materializing in new wine references that honor the history and profile of the region.
Terroir
Located in the Douro Superior sub-region, Quinta do Reguengo is located on the Vilariça tectonic fault, where clayey-schist soils with granite outcrops combine with a unique microclimate, which counts with the hot and humid winds of the river valley and the freshest winds in Spain.
This exceptional natural ecosystem for the production of complex and balanced wines also benefits from a great diversity of altitudes (up to 300 meters), sun exposure and grape varieties.
Vines
The producer's 200 hectares of vineyards extend over two locations that merge under the Quinta do Reguengo insignia: the Quinta itself, surrounded by the Douro River, and Vale da Pia, a property with a higher altitude and greater extension, where it was complex restoration and renovation work was carried out on the vineyard.
A dozen grape varieties – in which Touriga Nacional and Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Gouveio or Viosinho stand out – find in the two properties ideal places to assume their optimal expression.
Oenology & Wine Cellar
Entering the Quinta do Reguengo winery is finding a perfect balance between tradition and modernity. The entire space was recovered, preserving Douro characteristics, such as the old granite moth and the seven stone mills where, today, footsteps are still maintained. However, the interior of the cellar houses the most modern vinification technology, as in the barrel aging room, which has a 24-hour controlled temperature.
In investing in the complete renovation of Quinta do Reguengo, the Cardoso Family also invested in the recovery of a cellar where they installed vats intended for Port Wine, which the producer intends to launch in the future.
Quinta do Vale da Pia
The road that gives access to Quinta do Reguengo is almost a metaphor for everything the property offers: on one side, the vineyard extends to the river. On the other side, comes the olive grove – an integral part of the nature of the Cardoso Family – and also the houses where, in the past, there were cuts of animals and a mill. As with the winery and family house, these spaces are also being rehabilitated by the Cardoso Family, with a view to the future commitment to wine tourism.
In total, Quinta do Reguengo has 200 hectares of vineyards, 50 hectares of olive groves and 30 hectares of almond groves.
Sustainability
Quinta do Reguengo recently obtained the Sustainable Wine Growing Portugal certification, within the scope of the National Sustainability Certification Framework for the Wine Sector (RNCSSV), created by the IVV (Portuguese Vineyard and Wine Institute) and promoted by ViniPortugal.
