In June 2017 I travelled with other specialized journalists to the Portuguese winegrowing region of Vinho Verde. One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Vila Nova winery. The estate has been family-owned since the 12th century and can look back on a long and eventful tradition.
Currently we have 15 hectares of vineyards with the varieties Loureiro, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Alvarinho, Avesso, Arinto and Espadeiro. We also have partnerships with grape growers around the area.
At the time and with little alternative to support the business we started with exclusive brands for the big distribution chains (bottled by third parties) and we bet on the export.
In 2016, after reaching close to the 600,000 bottles sold, we decided to move forward with the winery project in partnership with winemaker Antonio Sousa, who has been collaborating with Vila Nova since 2003.
The wine-growing project aims to vinify its own Vila Nova wines and at the same time to support small winegrowers in the production and bottling of their wines (up to 30,000 bottles). Bernardo and Antonio also offer their own wine line under the name AB.
Bernardo pursues the clear goal of creating modern and unmistakable Vinho Verdes. In addition to cuvées made from native grape varieties, he also relies on pure wines from indigenous grape varieties and produces a small contingent of wines from the internationally renowned Sauvinon Blanc and Chardonnay varieties for tourists in the Algarve. The ruble has to roll.
He calls himself a funny person, and whoever experiences him live signs this immediately, as it is not surprising that the best moment of the day for him is the end of the day to watch a good football match or enjoy a glass of wine. At the same time, he is a single-minded person who never gives up and is always there for his wife and baby.
As a child he would have liked to become a racer, so it is no surprise that the hero of his childhood was Ayrton Senna. Asking him what three things he would take with him on a lonely island, he answers: seeds, a wine maker's kit and Nurofen painkillers.
Bernardo is a person for whom nothing is impossible. In this way, he focuses on tailoring his winery to the customer's taste and building a larger base of customers. As a winemaker, he stands for perfection and loves the diversity of his profession. For him, wine is produced primarily in the vineyard. He places particular emphasis on minerality in his wines. In the future, he wants to establish his wines as a strong brand that is in demand all over the world. He would prefer Christiano Ronaldo to drink more of his wines and market them worldwide. Dreams are allowed. And if he dreams, he could also imagine his own vineyard in the Azores.
Vinho Verde's wines are currently in a close price war and I wish Bernardo every success. His wines are already extraordinary and promise a lot for the future. Quality has its price and so I hope that it will be accepted by the customers.
Vinho Verde's wines are currently in a close price war and I wish Bernardo every success. His wines are already extraordinary and promise a lot for the future. Quality has its price and so it is to be hoped that it will be acknowledged by the customers, so that he will be rewarded for his commitment and quest for quality.
This article is also available in German: Winzerstories - Bernardo Lencastre
Rua de Vila Nova, nº 279, 4560 – 055
Castelões – Penafiel | PORTUGAL
Phone: +351 255 732 452
Mobile: +351 962 941 298
Website: Casa de Vila Nova
e-Mail: geral@casadevilanova.com
Tradition. Beginning. Future.
The Vila Nova Estate has been in our family since the 12th century. Until 2008 we were grape producers and we sold grapes to third parties. It was in that year that my father announced that he no longer wanted to continue with this project so between the (brothers) we decided to buy the Agricultural Society for 1 euro. Bernardo was then in charge of this new adventure. In the following year, with the support of the EEC (European Economic Community), we rebuilt the vineyards planted in the late 1980s.Currently we have 15 hectares of vineyards with the varieties Loureiro, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Alvarinho, Avesso, Arinto and Espadeiro. We also have partnerships with grape growers around the area.
At the time and with little alternative to support the business we started with exclusive brands for the big distribution chains (bottled by third parties) and we bet on the export.
The wine-growing project aims to vinify its own Vila Nova wines and at the same time to support small winegrowers in the production and bottling of their wines (up to 30,000 bottles). Bernardo and Antonio also offer their own wine line under the name AB.
Bernardo pursues the clear goal of creating modern and unmistakable Vinho Verdes. In addition to cuvées made from native grape varieties, he also relies on pure wines from indigenous grape varieties and produces a small contingent of wines from the internationally renowned Sauvinon Blanc and Chardonnay varieties for tourists in the Algarve. The ruble has to roll.
The Man Bernardo, Bernardo The Man.
Bernardo is a very cheerful, humorous and likeable man, deeply rooted in his family, which means everything to him. Dragging them out of Portugal would be impossible. For him, home means sun, the most beautiful beaches, fish, wine and smells. And he loves living in the present time and tirelessly developing his ideas for the vineyard and the wines.
He calls himself a funny person, and whoever experiences him live signs this immediately, as it is not surprising that the best moment of the day for him is the end of the day to watch a good football match or enjoy a glass of wine. At the same time, he is a single-minded person who never gives up and is always there for his wife and baby.
As a child he would have liked to become a racer, so it is no surprise that the hero of his childhood was Ayrton Senna. Asking him what three things he would take with him on a lonely island, he answers: seeds, a wine maker's kit and Nurofen painkillers.
Five questions and spontaneous answers:
Beer or champagne? Beer. White wine, rosé, red or orange wine? White wine. Sneaker or patent shoe? Sneaker. Camping or 5-star hotel? 5-star hotel. Mountain or sea? Sea.
Bernardo is a person for whom nothing is impossible. In this way, he focuses on tailoring his winery to the customer's taste and building a larger base of customers. As a winemaker, he stands for perfection and loves the diversity of his profession. For him, wine is produced primarily in the vineyard. He places particular emphasis on minerality in his wines. In the future, he wants to establish his wines as a strong brand that is in demand all over the world. He would prefer Christiano Ronaldo to drink more of his wines and market them worldwide. Dreams are allowed. And if he dreams, he could also imagine his own vineyard in the Azores.
Vinho Verde's wines are currently in a close price war and I wish Bernardo every success. His wines are already extraordinary and promise a lot for the future. Quality has its price and so I hope that it will be accepted by the customers.
Vinho Verde's wines are currently in a close price war and I wish Bernardo every success. His wines are already extraordinary and promise a lot for the future. Quality has its price and so it is to be hoped that it will be acknowledged by the customers, so that he will be rewarded for his commitment and quest for quality.
This article is also available in German: Winzerstories - Bernardo Lencastre
Contact
Casa de Vila NovaRua de Vila Nova, nº 279, 4560 – 055
Castelões – Penafiel | PORTUGAL
Phone: +351 255 732 452
Mobile: +351 962 941 298
Website: Casa de Vila Nova
e-Mail: geral@casadevilanova.com
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