Terroir – Vale dos Mil

The Christians knew that it was customary on the morning of St John’s day for the Moors to bathe in the river, so they took this opportunity to attack the main castle that lacked reinforcements. D. Rauzendo arrived with his warriors and it was easy to take the castle (…) then he hastened to help his brother who was on the verge of losing the battle beside the River Távora. The ferocity and valour shown by the two brothers and the other Christians against the Moors, killing more than a thousand, was such that the waters of the river turned red, and even today this place is still known as Vale dos Mil [Valley of the Thousand]! (in “Pedras que falam – Paredes da Beira”, Ricardo Costa).

Located in a select terroir, they are set in a fantastic mosaic of great natural beauty on the slopes overlooking the River Távora.
Vineyards planted over a hundred years ago, with a mixture of different red and white grape varieties and free-standing bush vines, at altitudes of 750 – 850 metres, with a south-east orientation and granite, quartz and rolled pebble soil, impart properties that produce iconic and unique wines in the Douro Demarcated Region. The vineyard management reflects a viticultural approach focused on the equilibrium of the ecosystem, setting aside the use of chemicals and any kind of mechanisation, and ensuring the sustainability of the terroir and the surrounding biodiversity.