A little way north of Lisbon sits Quinta do Pinto, a beautiful estate where vineyards surround an elegant 17th-century manor house and traditional wine cellar. Fifth-generation agriculturalist Antonio Cardoso Pinto acquired the estate in 2003, aiming to draw out the best of the land’s potential for winemaking.
The name of the estate is a happy coincidence – as well as being the surname of the current owner, the word ‘Pinto’ has a historic use. Two centuries ago it was said that wines produced here were worth more ‘pintos’ than those of the neighbours – so it’s rather fitting that this also matches the name of the family.
This is indeed a family business – Antonio works alongside his children Rita, Ana and Francisco, using traditional growing and winemaking methods employing indigenous yeasts and traditional concrete fermentation tanks. The family use sustainable growing methods for their 300-acre property, where more than 20 varieties of grapes grow (including native varieties such as pires, touriga nacional and fernao) and some vines are almost 50 years old.
The belief here is that the soul of the wine is shaped in the vineyard, so great care is taken in the growing process. The result is a collection of some of the finest and most distinctive wines coming out of the Alenquer-Lisbon region; the winery has several awards to its name as testament to the quality.
