Adega Viúva Gomes Collares Reserva Velho (Rótulo Branco) Tinto

Description

The wine region was demarcated in 1908, making it the country’s second oldest demarcated region. It lies in a dune area on the coast of the Sintra municipality, between the Serra and the Atlantic Ocean, stretching from Cabo da Roca to Magoito. The link between Colares and wine has faded over time, but it is known that wine was already produced here during Roman occupation; later, in 1230, King D. Afonso III granted land to nobles on the condition that they cultivate vineyards. Colares gained notoriety at the end of the 19th century, specifically in 1865, when the greatest threat to world viticulture—the phylloxera—swept over it. This tiny insect, originating from the Americas, began arriving alive in Europe as travel times shortened with the introduction of steam-powered ships. Interestingly, the vineyards of Colares were the only ones that survived phylloxera, thanks to the depth of their roots, sometimes reaching eight metres, which prevented the pathogen from spreading as it did in other soils. Across Europe, except in this region, American phylloxera-resistant rootstocks were grafted onto European grape varieties.