José Madeira Afonso was born in Coimbra, but from an early age he fell in love with Souro Pires, near Pinhel, where he spent long spells at his maternal grandmother's house. His fascination with country life and the grape harvest led him to enrol at the Escola de Regentes Agrícolas de Coimbra, completing his studies at the age of 18. He then went on to study medicine – his other passion – and finished his degree in 1974. For professional reasons, he lived in Bergen, Norway, for three years, where he learned all about the charms of wine, thanks to his contact with great connoisseurs who tasted and studied all the world's best. Tours and holidays in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace, Moselle and Tuscany therefore became very natural, frequent and irresistible. In the early 1990s, he realised his dream of taking over the family's old vineyards, planting new vines of the international varieties that had fascinated him most – Riesling and Chardonnay – and building a modern winery to produce his own wine. The results were not long in coming. The whites from the two international varieties amaze his German and French friends, while the white, red and sparkling wines he makes with the region's historic varieties serve to enhance Beira Interior's prestige. Nowadays, he rarely goes to Coimbra, whiling away his time tending to his vines and pursuing his dream of making ‘great wine.’

Vineyards

Vineyard operations management: José Madeira Afonso

Area of own vineyards: 15 hectares

Grape origin: Own grapes

Viticulture type: Integrated production

White grape varieties: Síria, Arinto, Fonte Cal, Riesling, Chardonnay, Folha de Figueira, etc.

Red grape varieties: Baga, Rufete, Marufo, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, etc.

Wine cellar

General manager: José Madeira Afonso

Oenologist: Nuno do Ó

Types of wine produced: White, rosé, red and sparkling

Wine brands: Casas Altas and Quinta do Vale do Ruivo

Percentage of PDO/PGI production: 100% PDO

Average annual production: 50,000 litres

Production destination: Domestic market (90%)

Wine tourism

Events, by appointment

Wine shop

Wine tasting

Part of the Beira Interior Wine Route