Quinta de Lemos

A Quinta do Rol is a century-old family property located in the region of Lourinhã, 60 km north of Lisbon and 7 km from the Atlantic Ocean.
It also has the rare feature of combining wines and the Lusitano horse, in a location that is also close enough to the Atlantic and, in particular, to a privileged area for surfing, the Areia Branca beach.
Carlos Melo Ribeiro, the producer, humbly advocates that “the creation of a great wine is an art, which owes as much to man as it does to nature.”
The winemaking work is minimalist and respectful, with great rigor, clearly benefiting from the production factor of “time,” seen as unique and non-negotiable.
It is part of the exclusive set of only three demarcated regions in the world with DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada) designation exclusively for the production of brandies, along with the renowned regions of Cognac and Armagnac.
As a curiosity, it was the “French influence” that put Lourinhã on the world map for brandy production. According to the president of the Regional Viticultural Commission of Lisbon, the invasion of French troops in the 19th century is the origin of brandy as we know it today. After the war, many French people stayed there and began distilling the wine, just as it was done in French lands. “They were not experts, they were very simple people. These things always start like this.”
Now, let’s let this Pinot Grigio cool down and accompany us on a journey back to the times when we were almost conquered by Napoleon and his troops.
Cheers!