Quinta De Sant'ana Sauvignon Blanc Branco

Description

Quinta do Gradil, considered one of the oldest, if not the oldest, estates in the municipality of Cadaval, has centuries-old historical roots and is a significant architectural landmark. The earliest documentary references to Quinta do Gradil date back to the late 15th century, in a royal document. On 14 February 1492, the date of the document, D. Martinho de Noronha received from King D. João II the charter granting him the jurisdiction and revenues of the municipality of Cadaval and of Quinta do Gradil. With the accession of D. Manuel I to the Portuguese throne, and his actions in favour of the members of the House of Bragança, Quinta do Gradil is mentioned again in the confirmation of a grant made by D. Manuel I to D. Álvaro de Bragança, younger brother of the 3rd Duke of Bragança, D. Fernando II, who was accused of treason and beheaded on the orders of D. João II in 1483. The estate is believed to have been acquired by the family of the Marquis of Pombal during the movement that, from 1760 onward, led to the occupation of municipal lands, and it is thought that vineyard cultivation was already present at that time, a fact that may have been decisive for the statesman responsible for the creation of the Companhia das Vinhas do Alto Douro. The estate remained in the family's possession until the mid-20th century, when it was purchased by Sampaio de Oliveira. It was in the late 1990s that the current owner, Luís Vieira, acquired the property. From its history remain a Pombaline palace, a chapel, a mill, a granary, a sandstone aqueduct, a water source house, a water tank, and the imposing winery. (image for illustrative purposes only)