Van Zellers & Co Porto

Description

Van Zellers & Co Like the Symingtons, who used their grapes to integrate into the Smith Woodhouse vintages, the Van Zeller family found this estate nearly in absolute abandonment when they took over, with about 10 ha of old vines. The recovery work was arduous, but nothing could deter Cristiano van Zeller from the task, or perhaps he came from a “proud school,” such as Quinta do Noval, of which he had been president. Work began with the vines and the houses that were almost reduced to dust. What drove Cristiano was the daily realization that he had found a pearl there that deserved to shine. He also acquired adjacent parcels until the estate reached 28 ha of vines. The inaugural harvest was in 1996, and the estate has not stopped producing great wines ever since. In recent times, the estate’s CV, Vale Dona Maria, and the newer Vinha do Rio and Vinha Francisca have been among the best Portuguese wines according to Wine Advocate, the most important and prestigious wine publication worldwide. At Vale Dona Maria, Van Zellers’ range of wines is also produced from grapes purchased outside the estate, but their quality warrants carrying the family name. In these wines, the professional treatment and rigor are exactly the same as those made from the estate’s own grapes—no shortcuts.