Tiago farms about 8 different vineyards all located within a 5km radius of his winery. One the key points here is the high altitude which differs from the rest of the Douro. He is not on the river but rather on a plateau at the top of the slope, between 550-700m. The cold nighttime temperatures slow down the ripening and help maintain a distinct acidity and freshness across the whole range. Another factor is the variety in the soils. Whereas most of the Douro is known for its slate/ schist soils, Tiago also has a bit of granite and varying amounts of clay in some parcels. Last, he has the advantage of having nearly 10 hectares of vines that are over 80 years old. The complexity of old vineyards and the vibrancy of younger vines creates a perfect balance in the wines.

This wine is made as per the ‘ancestral’ method - the grapes are pressed whole bunch, start fermenting in steel tanks, and are bottled after only a few days. The fermentation then finishes in the bottle, and gives the wine its natural bubbles. Due to the tartrates it often throws over the winter, this is normally disgorged in January and released in February. Unfined and unfiltered.

Tiago spent many years in Oregon doing his PhD, which was the initial inspiration for planting Pinot Noir in the Douro when he returned. Whilst he still makes an elegant barrel aged Pinot, a majority of the grapes now go into this wine.