In Portugal
For the last two days I have been in Portugal, visiting the Douro on Wednesday and the Alentejo today. The purpose of the trip is to see all the properties of Joao Portugal Ramos, one of Portugal's most well known winemakers. Wednesday was particularly interesting because I saw the new venture Duorum, which so far has released just one wine, the 2007 Colheita. The idea is to blend old vine Cima Corgo fruit with fruit from the Douro Superior, and Joao, aided by Jose Maria Soares Franco (who has worked with Sogrape for 28 years in the Douro), he's purchased a 150 ha property in the Douro Superior (currently 60 ha of vines are rented there) 
I haven't got time to do the project justice here, so I'm going to post some photographs I took of the Cima Corgo (first two) and the Douro Superior (taken from the Duorum property).
I stayed last night at Quinta Foz de Arouce, and tomorrow I'm off to Falua, Joao's property in the Ribatejo. It's unseasonally warm here - in the 20s, which is high for March.
posted by Jamie @ 12:05 AM
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6 Comments:
Looks lovely, you lucky, lucky so-and-so....
Jamie.
José Maria Soares Franco is much more that just the winemaker in Sogrape for 28 years in the Douro. He was responsible for keeping Barca Velha like the best Portuguese wine, after the dead of his “father”, Fernando Nicolau de Almeida.
Further more his was responsible to bring up Quinta da Leda, which replace Quinta do Vale Meao in producing the grapes for Barca Velha.
And even more he is the most simple winemaker, with who when you can talk.
Your photos are beautiful and make me want to escape! I hope you had a wonderful time and I look forward to reading all about it.
Hello Jamie,
I'm impressed I must confess, and so far I've just read two articles of yours...
I've been, for fourteen years, a tourist guide at Ferreira, before Sogrape, I had the privilege of having met the fabulous and unique Mr. Fernando Nicolau de Almeida (the father of Barca Velha).
I will always treasure those years.
Obviously, I have had the honor of working for Dr. Francisco de Olazabal, and even struck up a friendship with Eng. José Maria Soares Franco (the main enologist at Ferreira, long before Sogrape).
He was indeed considered as a son to Mr. Nicolau de Almeida, but there is no relationship between them, as the previous comment suggests.
I'll return definitely to your Blog,
Fernanda Ferreira
The "father" of Barca Velha... ;)
So sorry...it is clearly implied...my mistake ~/(^o^\~ !!!
Fernanda Ferreira
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