Hubertus Lenders and his wife Wilhelmina are Dutch and fell in love with Portugal many years ago. In 1989, captivated by the beauty and tranquillity of the Portuguese countryside, they bought the historic Quinta da Portela in Nesperal, in the municipality of Sertã. The property, listed as far back as 1756, is situated on a plateau surrounded by pine trees, cork oaks and oak trees, the ideal location for them to pursue some of their dreams, particularly those related to tourism and organic farming. The estate had been abandoned for eight years, but its wines, reputed to be the best in the region, were still remembered with nostalgia. Thus, history had to be respected and viticulture and wine production resumed, even if this meant starting from scratch. To preserve the pristine environment, they opted for organic viticulture and low production, astonishing their neighbours.

The first vintage was an adventure, since they had never made wine before. Luckily they consulted Octávio Pato's classic book, O Vinho, which describes the vinification and storage process in detail. The first wine may not have been perfect, but it filled them with pride and encouraged them to continue. The low yields and immaculately healthy grapes, with no pesticide residues, provided an excellent raw material for winemaking, with fermentation taking place in granite lagares without the use of industrial yeast or other additives. Little by little, the wines began to show their quality, with colour, intense aromas and strong flavours that respected the terroir. Certifying the origin of the wines was difficult, because at the time Sertã did not belong to any wine designation. After knocking on numerous doors, they were finally included in the Terras da Beira designation, a regional wine, despite being in a border area very different from that of traditional Beira.

In 2002, the vineyard was reconverted using the sophisticated Smart-Dyson trellis system and drip irrigation. Little by little, the wines gained consistency and were awarded medals in international competitions. In 2016, Hubertus and Wilhelmina saw their efforts and dedication recognised when they were awarded the ‘National Wine Producer’ prize in a national competition. The award proved extremely important as the Bonjardim brand became well known and sales soared, both domestically and abroad. With the opening of the Bonjardim restaurant in 2019, the various, distinctive and truly artisanal wines soon began to delight customers. The pandemic applied the brakes to this recent success, but much hope remains for the future and the fulfilment of a beautiful dream.

Vineyards

Vineyard operations management: Hubertus Johannes Lenders

Area of own vineyards: 3.25 hectares

Grape origin: Own grapes

Viticulture type: Organic production

White grape varieties: Fernão Pires, Alvarinho

Red grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Syrah

Wine cellar

General manager: Hubertus Lenders

Oenologist: Self

Types of wine produced: White, skin-contact white, rosé, red, sparkling, muscat, fortified, ‘grape ale’

Wine brands: Bonjardim

Percentage of PDO/PGI production: 80% PGI Terras da Beira

Average annual production: 10,000 bottles

Production destination: Domestic market (15%) and export (85%)

Wine tourism

Events

Wine shop

Wine tasting

Part of the Beira Interior Wine Route