VV Winery 1: Quinta das Arcas

The first full day in the region -  and we started strong! 

After checking out of our hotel in Porto, we headed to our first stop of the day - Quinta das Arcas. This is a beautiful property (honestly, they all are) that’s about 250 acres in total. And fun fact, they also make cheese on the property! They used to have their own cows, but both their wine business and dairy business were growing so fast, they’ve now started making their cheese with milk from other farms. 

Quinta das Arcas was founded in the early 1980s, and is still family run, which is always so beautiful to see. They grow 4 white varietals and 3 red ones - and I was lucky enough to try 6 of the wines from their Arca Nova line during this tasting experience. The vineyard’s philosophy is “the best wine comes from the best grapes” and I couldn’t agree more. You can see the care and dedication that the family puts into their craft. And while I’m not usually one to look at awards, their wall of accolades in the tasting room is quite impressive (peep my insta reel to get a glance at that wall)! 

As a side note, one of the things I did notice in Vinho Verde is that it’s unlike any other wine region I’ve visited. It wasn’t common to see large hectares of just vineyards. Instead, I’d see forests, farms, and beautiful gardens all interspersed with vineyards. Truly a delight for the eyes!