The project that started in the early 90’s of the XX century, had on its base Quinta dos Muros, a centenary estate of the Mansilha family and the Port Wine that was produced there for 4 generations. With a clear vision of the future, they made part of the first group of Douro winegrowers that believed in the Douro potential to make outstanding still wines.
Paulo Coutinho has been the head winemaker since 1994. They also count with the expert consultancy from Pascal Chatonnet since 1992 for the Douro wines, and they had the privilege to work with Jeremy Bull in the Port wines in the end of the 90´s and first years of the new century.
Quality has always been their motto, as can be seen by the countless international awards and 90+ points reviews given to their wines.
The estate that was known in the past as “Quinta do Casal de Celeirós”, has an area of 15 hectares surrounded by a schist wall.
It’s an historic Quinta with references in the end of the XIX century that considered it as a “Model Property”. It’s also mentioned historically as not having suffered the terrible plague of phylloxera.
In 1877 Henry Vizetelly, author of “Facts about Port and Madeira” drew the attention to the fact that this property hadn’t been affected by the plague and in 1886 the Viscount of Vilarinho de São Romão names it as a truly Model Property and writes: “it’s the only example that we know of a vineyard that didn’t suffer with the plague of phylloxera”.
It’s also historically recognized as being the first property in the Douro to admit women to tread grapes. Henry Vizetelly wrote: "The young women skillfully gathered their garments up around them. When all was duly adjusted they sprang into the lagar, and, delighted with their task, danced for a time among the grapes with the frenzy if not the grace of a troop of wild Bacchanals. The sight was certainly amusing, although the proceeding was, perhaps, not exactly a decorous one."
