The Estate
Our History
The Herdade dos Muachos is an estate located in Freguesia of Urra, municipality of Portalegre, acquired in 1995 by José Carvalho Agricultural Society Ltd, a family company that has about 2000 ha, and that develops its activity in the areas of cattle farming, sheep farming, grain and viniculture.
This last activity developed until 2002, selling the grape produced winemakers of the region. However, given the quality of the grapes produced in 20 hectares of 30 years old vineyards, it was decided to increase the area of viniculture by proceeding up to the construction, at the Herdade dos Muachos, of a new winerywith a capacity for an annual production of 800,000 liters of wine, where an underground basement allows the storage and aging of about 350 barrels of 250 liters.
As a consequence and for the overall project equilibrium, a new area of 12ha of vineyards were implanted in 2002, and another 18ha in 2005, thus reaching a total of 50ha at the Herdade dos Muachos. In 2008, José Carvalho Agricultural Society Ltd, acquired a farm called Quinta do Seixo, with over 9 ha of vineyards, bringing the total, at this time, to about 100 ha of vineyards, by adding up the leased vineyard areas.
The area of Portalegre, producer of wines since ancient times and referenced since the middle ages for the quality of the wines produced is the cradle for these wines.
The Cellar
Given that the main objective of José Carvalho Agricultural Society is the production of quality wines, the winery was equipped with vats of fermentation in stainless steel with a temperature control system, as well as fermentation tanks also equipped with temperature control.
For the production of white wines, tanks of 5000 liters with temperature control were installed as well as a cold chamber for the production of wines fermented in new wooden barrels of French and American oak.
The vineyards
The Herdade dos Muachos, located in Northeastern Alentejo, in the foothills of the Serra de S. Mamede, demarcated area of Portalegre, has schist and clay soils where these vineyards are planted, benefiting from a particular microclimate favorable to the cultivation of vines.
It is right in the Northern Alentejo, characterized by a climate of hot, dry summers and cold and harsh winters, that the roots of the vine take advantage of these climatic conditions and soil geography, offering unparalleled taste wines.
Grape varieties:
Whites: Arinto, Roupeiro, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Antao Vaz
Reds: Trincadeira, Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet, Alfrocheiro, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Trincadeira Preta, Petit Verdot and Merlot.
With an integrated management model, the vineyard offers modern conducting systems, drainage systems and computerized irrigation. After a rigorous control of maturation, the harvest usually takes place in the first fortnight of September.