Casa de Mouraz

Casa de Mouraz sits in Mouraz, a village in Tondela where António Ribeiro was born. His family has cultivated vines there for several generations. The estate spans 25 hectares split across plots with different soils, altitudes and surroundings, including vines around 50 years old alongside newer plantings, all growing near forests of pine, oak and chestnut trees. All vineyards are farmed ecologically, without herbicides or synthetic agrochemicals, and are certified by ECOCERT. Biodynamic work began at the end of 2006, following the approach developed by Rudolf Steiner, aiming to bring soil, plants, animals and people into closer balance. The estate makes wines under the Dão, Douro, Vinho Verde and Alentejo labels, working with a striking range of grape varieties: one red, the Elfa, is made from more than 30 different varieties grown in a vineyard over 85 years old. Sara Dionísio and António Ribeiro built the project together, she handling much of the outward-facing side of the winery, he closer to the vineyard and cellar work. In 2017, wildfires that killed 50 people and burned 220,000 hectares across Portugal reached the estate, destroying old vines, storage buildings and stock. The BOT wine came from a vineyard lost in that fire, and only a small amount of it remains. A crowdfunding campaign, framed around the idea of rising from the ashes, helped the estate recover. Wine critics have taken note over the years: Julia Harding scored the Casa de Mouraz Elfa 2013 favourably for its authenticity, and the 2015 white, a blend of 15 varieties, received a rating of 17 out of 20. The estate's wines circulate through specialist retailers and restaurants across Portugal and abroad, including recent tastings and pairing events in Porto and Tokyo.