The owner of Quinta dos Currais, José Diogo Tomás, is a surgeon in Lisbon, but has a strong attachment to his homeland. At the turn of the millennium, encouraged by a friend in the wine business in the Tondela region, he decided to produce and bottle his own wine. He began by planting 30 hectares of vineyards and, as soon as they were producing grapes, he built a winery with all the required technology, hired oenologist Vítor Monteiro, from Tondela, and began to turn his dream into reality. Shortly afterwards, he was forced to replace the oenologist with another from the Dão – the renowned Carlos Silva – who in 2002 oversaw the first vintage to go to market. Since then, Quinta dos Currais has become a well-known and respected brand in the market, prioritising the preservation of historic grape varieties and the identity of Beira Interior wines. One of the secrets of this success is the special attention paid to the marketing of the wines, thanks to an admirable commercial effort that secures annual sales of around 100,000 bottles.

In recent years, José Diogo Tomás's three children have become increasingly involved in the project, with his daughters Ana, a lawyer, and Catarina, a veterinarian, who also live in Lisbon, now taking centre stage. Given their distance from the estate, Manuel Rodrigues continues to be a crucial and dedicated overseer of the project, ensuring the day-to-day running of a 130-hectare estate with its 30 hectares of vineyards, as well as a winery with considerable turnover.

Vineyards

Vineyard operations management: Manuel Rodrigues

Area of own vineyards: 30 hectares

Grape origin: Own grapes

Viticulture type: Integrated pest management

White grape varieties: Fonte Cal, Arinto, Síria

Red grape varieties: Rufete, Marufo, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Syrah, Jaen

Wine cellar

General manager: José Virgílio

Oenologist: Carlos Silva

Cellar master: Manuel Rodrigues

Types of wine produced: White and red

Wine brands: Quinta dos Currais and Talabara

Percentage of PDO/PGI production: 100% PDO

Average annual production: 118,000 bottles

Production destination: Domestic market (70%) and export (30%)

Wine tourism

Wine shop

Part of the Beira Interior Wine Route