Preparing the soil for planting a white grapes vineyard in Quinta da Trovisca
Did you read the previous post? If so, you’ve noticed that we were challenging you to guess what we will do in the area in front of the winery. In the comments’ section, you can see that Andy Velebil bet on a white grapes vineyard. Well, the answer is not correct, but in other place, we are actually planting a white grapes vines. The photo show the bulldozer preparing the soil of Quinta da Trovisca, and making the traditional terraces from the Douro, “patamares” or “sucalcos” in Portuguese. We will plant Viosinho, Rabo-de-Ovelha Rabigato and Gouveio (also known as Verdelho) in March. But that will be shown in further posts. Stay tuned!
Works at the winery - what comes next?
This is a photo of the area around our winery. In the last weeks we have been working in this area. At the same time, in the edge, we have planted some olive trees. My question for you is: what will we do in this area? Tip: until some months ago there were red vines here.
The first to guess it will get a free bottle of Quevedo Rose Port next time he/she visit us!
Oscar
Douro river is rising - dams can’t sustain all the water
How many of you can recognize this road? And how many of you know where this dam is located? It has been raining a lot here and the soils can’t absorb more water. So all the water goes down the hill, quickly reaching the streams that take the water to the Douro river.
Is this damaging the vineyards? No, but I would say that we do not need more water for now, at least until March or April.
Oscar
The snow is again in the Douro - bring the skiis, we have some nice slopes
The snow is covering the Douro valley of white. Beautiful scenario in a very cold and rainy Winter so far. At the same time, these cold temperatures are helping in the clearing of the wines. But enough is enough and also our pet thinks we don’t need more cold. Spring, we are all waiting for you…
Oscar
Our vineyards flooded
Although feasible, I swear we are not spending our time on fish farming nor growing rice in our vineyards. The responsible for this scenery is the heavy rain that has been falling during the last weeks in the Douro. Even though it is absolutely necessary as the vines need to accumulate reserves for the upcoming hot Summer, there is a small problem: we haven’t started yet to pick up our olives and therefore our production of organic olive oil is threatened. Hopefully, sun will shine during the next days.
Oscar
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![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=77a7edbd-9519-4ac3-8513-f31a7a46feda "Our vineyards flooded")
Rose Port: many consumers loved it but some still say this is not Port
It is time to ask for your opinion. Six months after we have first released our Rose Port and 3 months after we had run out of it, Rose Port is controversial. Many people think Rose Port was a great idea. But there are still some more conservative enthusiasts who defend Rose Port is not even similar to the traditional Port Wine and should not be called Port. What do you think?
Hey Santa Claus, there are 10 things you can bring me over
It is Christmas time and as far as I know Santa Claus is already on his way to Linhares de Ansiães, the small village in the Douro valley, where my grandparents from my mom’s side were grown and where I will have the Christmas dinner. I don’t like to ask for anything, specially because I think we have more than enough stuff to live with and to make us happy. BUT, if I could choose what Santa Claus will bring me tonight, here is my list:
- a big pot with one vine of Tinta Francisca and one vine of Pinot Noir, as I want to find if they are really the same varietal
- a ticket to see the Uefa Champions League final between F.C. Porto and F.C.Barcelona
- wizard hands to finish all the repair works at my parents’ house
- that in 2010 the peaches from Trovisca come without worms
- some rain during the months of April, May and June to help the new white vines we are planting growing strong and healthy
- a pair of cycling boots to ride more efficiently up and down the valley
- that 50% of all the friends that have told me they would come over in 2010 really show up
- cold nights during the next year so I have a good excuse to drink more Port
- no new roads or highways constructions in the Douro so its autenthecity can be maintained
- and new snickers as it is not been easy to find some nice ones that fit in my feet!!!
And what about you? What are you asking to Santa Claus?
Oscar
2007 Vintage Port tastings - from Denmark to Germany after Portugal and Brazil
This is definitively a special Port Wine. The 2007 Vintage Port declaration has received a lot of attention not only from Port enthusiasts, but also from media and retailers. In the last weeks we made a special tasting of our Vintage 2007 in Denmark for the Port-aficionado clients of our distributor in the country. During the tasting I could explain a little bit of what makes 2007 probably the best Vintage of this decade, so far. The Port and Douro Wines Institute - IVDP has also been busy promoting and organized a couple of tasting in Portugal (together with Essência do Vinho) and in Brazil.
Next February 12th many producers will fly to Germany to show up in other tasting co organized by the IVDP and by the World of Port, which is run by Axel Probst, other Port lover.
That said, If you live in Germany and specially near by Leverkusen, do not miss this chance to taste many Vintages from the so special harvest of 2007. I will be there for a toast and for a lot of fun!
Oscar
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=142ca59f-159f-4db0-b6b9-954664e50efc "2007 Vintage Port tastings from Denmark to Germany after Portugal and Brazil")
Snowing in the Douro right before Christmas
We are white again!!! After two days of low temperatures and very cold winds, it snowed in the valley. All happened tonight, probably between 1am and 6am. I don’t know exactly, as I decided to go earlier to bed so I could have time to read the addicting Port and the Douro by Richard Mayson. This morning, when I opened the blind I had this surprise: the Douro was covered by a thing layer of snow! It does not snow that often here, maybe 3 or 4 time each decade, but curiously the last time we saw snow in the Douro valley was in the last week of December 2008, so not even one year ago. Global warming or Douro freezing?!?
If you are considering to visit us these days, please don’t forget gloves, scarf and boots. We give the wine!
Oscar
Quevedo is participating and live broadcasting Adegga Wine Market
Today, Tuesday December 8th, if you are in Lisbon and you want to enjoy a glass of wine, I would strongly suggest you to go to Adegga Wine Market. The venue is the Teatro Aberto located in the Praça de Espanha and you can find there 20 wine producers, from all around Portugal and many wine lovers. My sister, Claudia, is there showing you our wines, as I am isolated slowly recovering from A flu.
You can see all the event live here:
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=733c04f0-2a03-43c9-8bc1-eb6e125b87fc "Quevedo is participating and live broadcasting Adegga Wine Market")
Quevedo was founded in 1991 as a family owned business in the heart of the Douro valley, responding to the needs of the generations that preceded the associate founders. These ancestors were passionately dedicated to their vineyards and to the culture that surrounded the production of wine. Consequently, the company was created as a seamless marriage between the initial phase of production and the promotion and selling of their wines. Currently, the estate is comprised of 100 hectares located in the regions of Cima-Corgo and Douro Superior, producing both red and port wines from only the five traditional port grapes Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão and Tinta Barroca. 