Portugal’s richest circle of relatives made a fortune with an unlikely source: cork. Now, passing by Maria Fernanda Amorim, the widow of the grandson of a 19th-century cork tycoon, the circle of relatives is now at number 484 on Forbes’ rich list, with an estimated wealth of $4.3 billion.
Then it makes sense that wine is for your heart.
Maria’s daughter, Luisa, led the family’s interests in wine. She was a pioneer of wine tourism, which arrived late in Portugal. When the Quinta Nova hotel opened in Nossa Senhora do Carmo, in the Douro Valley, 15 years ago, it was the first oenological hotel of its kind in the country.
It is a deeply captivating place, with stunning perspectives of the steep hills covered with Douro vineyards and a deep sense of calm. And history. Dating back to 1764, Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo (the name of a patron saint that sought to ensure the protection of winemakers when the adventure of moving their product downstream was dangerous) is one of the oldest wineries in Portugal, and in a region that itself is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world.
The hotel is a quiet and enduring retreat with the feeling of a gigantic Portuguese circle of family at home. But even immortality may require a small update from time to time. Quinta Nova has just won a giant, which has stepped forward in the 11 sumptuous rooms and has redesigned the interior halls and libraries to share with guests.
Everything ended up opening in March, however, for apparent reasons, the hotel reopened in June. And the life of the charge has moved outwards. During my recent stay (as a guest), I would stay a little more than sleeping in the comfortable bed. The terrace, with its captivating perspectives and its adorable pool, is too attractive. It has become my dining room, my living room and my office, as it seemed to be for other guests.
The hotel’s Conceitus place to eat (now outside) has long enjoyed a reputation. In its new incarnation, douro chef André Carvalho has developed a compact menu of well-executed dishes that honor the region, cater to foreign tastes and, above all, shape the highlights of Quinta Nova wines.
Guided tours that end with tastings are one of the main tactics in which Quinta Nova explicitly helps to fulfill its promises of wine tourism. Some of the others come with meeting sessions, boat trips on the Douro, “day winemaker” and harvest reports that allow visitors to get their hands dirty in the countryside.
“Our consumers need to know what’s going on behind the bottle,” says Susana Pinho, head of wine tourism. “Customers should be at the center of the process,” but also points out that, in many cases, waking up in a pleasant and comfortable position and seeing the vineyards and the staff holding them is a sufficient authenticity.
Here are some fun facts I learned on my scale at the museum and my foray into winemaking, in Quinta Nova: cork is sold in foreign markets in a unit called arroba, a call derived from the Arabic word for the amount a donkey can carry. In Portugal, this equates to about 15 kilograms or 32 pounds. A cork at sign can be strangely expensive: it can succeed at up to 1 euro consistent with a wine bottle cap, to get the maximum high-end product. In addition, according to Alves and Pinho, the Amorim family circle makes more money from cork than the country of Portugal with wine.
It therefore makes sense for them to follow their fondness for wine in a region that is still booming (at least internationally) in Portugal. His new assignment is Taboadella, in the C region.
Why there? “We met Do a long time ago,” says Luisa Amorim, emphasizing the family’s preference to produce wines there. “The Do is the first demarcated region for unfortified wines. (The Douro has been demarcated for the port). This is vital because it is the birthplace of Touriga Nacional”, one of the most important grape varieties of Portuguese winemaking.
Taboadella is close enough to Quinta Nova that many people, adding Toves, can paint seamlessly on both. But, says Amorim, they have other stories and characters. “We wanted to go big,” he says of his plans for the C, to honor “the terroir, the story and the charm.”
There they discovered a vineyard with a long history – there is evidence of human room since the 1st century, and it is an art estate in 1255. The remains of a Roman press built on a rock are still on the site. Now it has joined through a large tasting room and a vineyard, and a futuristic winery, which can be visited by appointment. There are plans for a villa to stay overnight in the future.
In June, the first vintages of Taboadella, two white and six inks were unveiled. A surprising feature is that many are unique grape varieties, which is rare in a country that produces blends.
“I’m a fan of mixing,” Amorim says. “But in the C, we have to maintain the culture. There is a long culture of unique grape varieties. And there are things the Duo can offer, with its high-rise vineyards and granite floors. Like the adventures of the family, the wines are, as she says, “powerful, with finesse and freshness”.
I have been an award-winning editor and editor for 18 years, adding several as an editor at ForbesLife, and have written in over six hundred luxury articles.
I’ve been an award-winning editor and editor for 18 years, adding several as an editor at ForbesLife, and have written about over six hundred destinations and luxury hotels in 97 countries (and more). I know the difference between what is expensive and what deserves its maximum price. I am insightful, but I am not stocked, and I appreciate the hard paints that come with reporting and making luxury items. (I also wrote about this). I have shared this wisdom with readers of Forbes, Departures, Count Nast Traveller, Robb Report, Afar, National Geographic Traveller, Islands, Hemispheres, Brides, Modern Bride, Luxury SpaFinder, Well – Good and other publications. In the call of lifestyle journalism, I got a tattoo in Bora Bora, bit me through a masseur and flew on a small plane on 3 continents.