João Portugal Ramos

The Portuguese oenologist João Portugal Ramos, already legendary in his lifetime, is considered one of the best and most experienced winemakers in the world. He worked for many years as an advisor to wineries and cooperatives throughout Portugal (even today there are still around 20 of them) and in the process became the birthplace of many great wines. He then bought vineyards in the Alentejo region and built up his Quinta (winery) near the town of Estremoz. Since the mid-1990s, branded wines have been produced there, mainly using local grape varieties. There are the main lines João Portugal Ramos, Marqués de Borba and Vila Santa. The red wine cuvée "Marqués de Borba Tinto" is blended from the varieties Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Periquita and Trincadeira Preta and matures for 12 months in French oak barrels. There is also a white wine called "Marqués de Borba Branco". The flagship of the house is the red wine cuvée "Vila Santa", aged in French oak barrels, from the varieties Aragonês (40%), Trincadeira Preta (40%), Alicante Bouschet (10%) and Cabernet-Sauvignon (10%). It also produces varietal wines from the Antão Vaz, Aragonês (Tempranillo), Roupeiro, Syrah, Tinta Gaida and Trincadeira varieties.