XPTO Factor: Quinta dos Lagares, wines with a good environment.

Quinta dos Lagares is an estate dating from the time of the early Demarcations of the Port Wine Region, overlooking the Pinhão river and the village of Vale de Mendiz, a well-known terroir in Douro. The vineyards, the oldest being more than 70 years old, lay in a natural amphitheater covering different aspects and a range of heights from 280m to 550m above sea level.
Vineyards alternate with olive groves and natural Mediterranean forest (cork oak, green oak, strawberry trees, etc) originating a reach and diverse landscape with great conservation value, something which, unfortunately, is becoming more and more scarce in the region. This forest was the first and only one so far, certified by FSC ® – Forest Stewardship Council- in the Douro region.
As for most of the farms in Douro, the owners of the estate used to sell the Port Wine in bulk to one of the big Port Wine Enterprises. It was only in 2006 when Pedro Lencart and Isabel Sarmento took over the management and gave a new breath to the farm, planting vines and renewing the old ones, converting the 18 Th century old warehouse in a modern winery and maintaining the 5 granite “lagares” for detailed boutique winemaking, matching tradition with innovation to make better wines. In 2014, the old dream of commercializing wines with the estate brand came through. Since then, several wines were launched originating a comprehensive and interesting portfolio, complemented with an internationally awarded organic olive oil made from olives harvested from the estate’s centennial olive trees.