At Quinta da Boavista, the past year has been one of slow rebuilding. The wildfires that swept across northern and central Portugal in September ’24 destroyed João’s family home and decimated the vineyards, leaving just 2.5 hectares of young vines untouched. The soils have since been recovering. Scorched vines were pruned in the aftermath of the fires but when spring came, it was clear that very little had survived. With gentle soil work and careful water management, one of the plots is almost ready for new plantings, planned for the end of February. It’s a process that has reinforced the values at the heart of this winery: organic farming, low intervention, and a close relationship with the land. In parallel, João and his daughter Inês have taken on 6 hectares from a close friend, who no longer produces wine himself. Farmed organically, these are mostly old vineyards planted with local varieties including Aragonez, Encruzado, Malvasia Fina, Bical, Verdelho, Cerceal Branco, Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional and Mencia. Although ’25 was a challenging harvest, with grapes gathered further from the winery and just father, daughter and sometimes an assistant in the cellar, this next vintage speaks of transition and resilience, with different grape varieties and smaller volumes, but the same, considered cuvées and resounding sense of purpose.
The grapes for Rufia Orange ’24 were some of the last to be picked, before the fires brought harvest to a standstill. Co-fermented in stainless steel, it’s a third Cerceal Branco, with a selection of Encruzado, Sírria, Rufete and Malvasia Fina, and a touch of Bical. Sharp eyes in the vineyard and a second inspection of the fruit at the winery, a sorting process known as manual triage, ensured that only high quality grapes reached the press. The bunches were de-stemmed and given two weeks’ skin contact, before maturing in stainless steel. An ideal apéro wine that hits the spot between Rooibos and peach iced tea. Drink chilled with a wedge of kimchi grilled cheese sandwich.