While Paulo Romão was studying Textile Engineering at the University of Leeds, fate dealt him a cruel blow. His brother passed away, forcing him to return home at the age of 19 and take over the family textile business, which employed some 130 workers. A textile engineer may have been lost, but ultimately a fully fledged entrepreneur was gained. It was a stern test that he passed with flying colours, thanks to his leadership qualities, interpersonal skills, dynamism and ‘addiction’ to work. The experience gained has proved crucial to the success of all the projects he continues to engage in, whose motto has always been ‘doing things right.’ Wine is a long-standing passion, as witnessed by the more than 1,000 bottles of Dão and Bairrada wine he already possessed at the age of 26. Before becoming a winemaker, he dedicated himself to tourism projects – another of his passions – and in 2000, together with his wife Cármen, he dazzled everyone by opening the Casas do Côro development in Marialva, following an innovative village tourism concept

In 2010, Dirk Niepoort, a frequent visitor to Casas do Côro, challenged Paulo Romão to experiment with winemaking in Marialva. And that was that. The grapes, from very old vines, were purchased from neighbours and produced some exciting wines, despite the lack of a winery. He then took the grapes to the factory in Guarda, where experiments continued and enthusiasm grew. Before building his own, he used his friend Rui Madeira's winery in Vermiosa for four years. Meanwhile, he was planting vineyards around the historic village of Marialva, favouring white grape varieties from the area bordering the Douro and Beira Interior. In 2018, he hired Niepoort's protégé Carlos Raposo as oenologist and began to steady the ship. By employing a minimalist oenology from grape to bottle, austere, long-lived wines that respect the terroir of Marialva began to emerge. The first bottles launched on the market epitomise Paulo Romão, with impeccable presentation and quality wines that leave a real impression. With his creativity and restlessness, he will surely continue to astonish all by honouring the winemaking tradition of Marialva, famed for its wines since Roman times.

Vineyards

Vineyard operations management: Ricardo Lopes

Area of own vineyards: 14 hectares

Grape origin: Own and purchased grapes

Viticulture type: Integrated production

White grape varieties: Rabigato, Códega do Larinho, Verdelho, Alvarinho, Donzelinho, Arinto

Red grape varieties: Rufete

Wine cellar

General manager: Paulo Romão

Oenologist: Carlos Raposo

Cellar master: Ricardo Lopes

Types of wine produced: White, rosé and red

Wine brands: Casas do Côro, Entrada, Flor Nobre

Percentage of PDO/PGI production: 100% non-PDO/PGI

Average annual production: 15,000 bottles

Production destination: Domestic market (100%)

Wine tourism

Events

Wine shop

Wine tasting

Part of the Beira Interior Wine Route