VV Winery 6: Quinta do Ameal
For our final full day in Vinho Verde, we started at Quinta do Ameal, located in the subregion of Lima. This is a picturesque spot that’s lush with oh-so-much greenery. Honestly, every turn you take, you’re mystified by its beauty. Also, very randomly, there’s a mini bamboo forest on this vineyard - and you might be thinking, isn’t bamboo an invasive species? Well, yes, yes it is - but both the vines and the bamboo are thriving together, so here we are.
While Quinta do Ameal has been around for a while, it hasn’t always been a vineyard. It wasn’t until the 1990’s that this once dairy farm slowly converted to a vineyard over the course of that decade. They only plant the grape Loureiro here, which spans ~14 hectares, and in between the vines natural grass and planted clover help to provide the vines with much needed nitrogen. The rest of the property has forests where trees such as chestnut, walnut and stone pines grow - so cool to see!
As with some of the other wineries we’ve visited, there are also accommodations on Quinta do Ameal - and you can see in the photos how lush and beautiful these grounds are. And of course, this is another vineyard here with a pool! Can you imagine waking up in this environment?!
Fun fact: Esporão actually bought Quinta do Ameal in 2019
Now, there’s lots of experimentation going on at Quinta do Ameal. From clay and concrete vats to white clay and glass being used for aging. They also practice integrated viticulture and only use chemicals as needed but it’s important to note that because the area has so much moisture, there is an inclination to produce fungal diseases.
The winery produces 4 wines in total:
Entry level blended Loureiro wine made with bought grapes
Stainless steel fermented single varietal Loureiro
Concrete egg fermented Loureiro
Concrete and oak fermented Loureiro
