Raza Vinho Verde 2024

Quinta da Raza was established by Diogo's forebears in 1791, and today he and Mafalda have 40 hectares of prime vineyard, in the sub region of Celorico do Basto. This is southern Vinho Verde, not too far from the lower reaches of the Douro, and in sheltered uplands at around 250m, with distinct soils. Their classic Vinho Verde is utterly delicious, with fruit quality shining through, whilst varietal offerings are denser, but still with freshness and lightness of touch. Arinto (once called Pederna here) seems to be especially successful, either bottled varietally, or contributing to blend. There is an excellent small, modern winery at Raza now, but the red is still made by treading in the micro-lagares at the back of old, and rather grand, house built by previous generations. Raza Vinho Verde DOC is a white wine made by Quinta da Raza an estate located at Peneireiro, Celorico de Basto, in the Vinho Verde Region (DOC), adjacent to the Douro Region. Quinta da Raza has been owned by (husband and wife) Jose Diogo and Mafalda Teixeira Coelho since 1987, although the Teixeira Coelho family has been involved in winemaking as far back as the 1791. Today the estate comprises 40 hectares of prime vineyard. Quinta da Raza has a unique terroir created by the gentle slopes and magnificent exposure to the sun. The soil benefits from its granite origins with areas of schist and clay. This is very unusual in Vinho Verde Region. It has a microclimate created by the mountains in the west and the valley of the Tamega river which, unlike the other rivers of the region does not run from East to West, but from Northeast to Southwest, which together prevent the influence of the Atlantic winds. Therefore, there is less rain and a greater temperature range. This means the vineyards are subject to more sun than perhaps other vineyards in the Vinho Verde Region, which are important factors for the development of the vines. Moreover, the average altitude of Quinta da Raza is 250 meters, which corresponds to the best average altitude suited for growing grapes. In 1999 / 2000, significant improvements were introduced in the cellar, including new oenological and storage equipment. A new cellar, situated in the middle of the Raza vineyard, is now taking its first steps and came into operation for the 2011 harvest.