Carlos Lucas is the man behind a portfolio of quality wines from across Portugal, including the Douro and the region closest to his heart – the Dão. A pioneer of modern-style Portuguese wines and a talented winemaker with nearly 30 years of experience, he has replanted the vineyards at Quinta do Ribeiro Santo where his Dão wines are created from the area’s thin granitic soils. His commitment to the region was affirmed when he acquired Quinta de Santa Maria in Cabanas de Viriato, a 10ha plot of old vines planted with Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrochiero and Jaen. The vineyards are worked using an integrated crop management system, with the grapes harvested by hand in small boxes and the carefully selected to preserve their varietal expression. The vineyard is planted following the traditional plantation methods, in poor granite soils, with large schist outcrops, where you can have a magnificent perspective of the highness of the Mountain Serra da Estrela. The entire vineyard is planted following an integrated crop management system. The grapes were harvested by hand, into small boxes of 18kg, according to a careful selection of the best grapes in the vineyard. Red, almost violet colour, with the perfumes of black mulberry and blackberries and a light nuance of pine needles. The wine is very fresh, young with a sweet but elegant palate.
