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The area between the Douro and the Minho rivers in Portugal has a long and storied viticultural history, dating back to antiquity. Today the northern portion of the area, known as Vinho Verde, shares many varieties and traditions with Galicia to its north. Quinta do Ermízio, in the town of Ronfe outside Guimarães, is similarly old: the name dates back perhaps as far as the 12th century. The current Quinta was established in 1984 with the construction of the winery, and has been making wine in much the same style since. Today Quinta do Ermízio is owned and run by Antonio A. Monteiro, a retired horticulture professor.

The vineyards are lush and green, farmed in traditional methods: the soils are not disturbed and treatments are largely organic and only used when absolutely necessary.  The vines are trained in pergolas to help protect the ripening grapes from humidity and harvested by hand. Each plot and variety is harvested and fermented separately each year to enable careful blending.  Cellar work is minimalist. Fermentation and aging is done in stainless steel and the only additive is a small amount of SO2 and CO2 at bottling. 

Vinho Verde is Loureiro and Trajadura from the estate’s 15 hectares of vines, all cultivated in the traditional pergola system and farmed with limited interventions and abundant cover crops. The soils are granitic and elevation is around 500 meters. ​The grapes were harvested by hand, then pressed and fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks. After alcoholic fermentation, malolactic conversion is blocked and the wine rests in the same vessels before bottling.

- Jose Pastor Selections

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