Quinta de Santiago
Quinta de Santiago is a magical place, a family-owned farm at Portugal’s northern tip on the border with Spain in the Vinho Verde wine region. This 7.5 hectare farm has been in the Santiago family since 1899 and is infused with generations of history, love, and passion for their land and surrounding region. Originally the Quinta’s primary activity was the production of wines, olive oil, lupine, cereals, milk, meat, and fruit for self-consumption. Grapes grown in the vineyards were sold to large cooperatives in the region. This changed in 2009. Grandma Mariazinha Santiago (aged 86), full of passion and determination, challenged her children and grandchildren to create a boutique winery. Its purpose: showing that World-class Alvarinho and native varietals from Monção can shine. Fast forward more than a decade and it is assuredly safe to say Grandma Mariazinha would be proud.
At the head of the family’s business is Joana Santiago, a self-described “authentic Minho woman” - driven to honor her family’s heritage. It is from a multi-generation devotion to the family’s land and vineyards that she drives their view and vision of expressing excellence in their wines. Four generations of the Santiago family combine tradition, modernity, and enthusiasm to create authentic wines expressing the terroir of the region’s and farm’s native varietals.
Quinta de Santiago is uniquely positioned to benefit from a microclimate ideal for growing Alvarinho, Loureiro, and numerous red grapes indigenous to this area. The particular orientation of the Quinta shelters the vineyards from significant Atlantic influences but preserves thermal amplitudes ideal for ripening indigenous varietals. Soil is predominantly clay given the the proximity to the Minho River and viticulture follows organic practices. Joana is hyper-focused on sustainability and biodiversity. She has organized and leads a group of regional growers focused on water use and the preservation of local natural resources. The wines are overseen by the legendary, Nuno Mira do Ó, with whom Joana also partners on their Sou joint venture. Wines are fermented with native yeasts.
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