Santa Vitória farm

It represents for all visitors (professionals and non-professionals) a seductive trip around the winemaking world, and a chance to combine a glass of Santa Vitória wine with the splendid sunset, in an exclusive environment.

Designed according to a modern, hi-tech and extremely functional concept, it has 3 floors:

- In Floor 1 are the Lab, Admin area, dry material Warehouse, Tasting Room and Exhibition Room.

- Floor 0 has the Fermentation Vats Area, Storing and Stabilization rooms, the Bottling room, Finished Product Storing Room, Reception and Store.

- Floor -1 (below ground level) is comprised of the Press Room, a temperature controlled cask Fermentation area, Barrel Ageing Hall and Bottle Ageing Store.

Technology

We have taken great care to use of the latest winemaking technologies in order to produce modern wines, whilst preserving the traditional processes that increase the quality of our products.

At the unloading site, we have built a 3m-drop so that the unloading of grapes is performed directly into the vats by gravity. The absence of pumps prevents and this stage eliminates the possibility of tearing the skins or seeds, which could produce bitter tastes in the wine. The raw materials are, therefore, kept at a maximum quality level.

For the best wines, which have a very limited production, we still prefer the traditional foot-treading method. Fermentation takes place in vats with automatic temperature control, between 23º and 26º C, with a capacity of 10 – 20 tons. All the variables in the winemaking process, such as time, temperature, density, oenological applications, reassemblies, etc. are strictly controlled by computer, so that nothing fails at the most critical points of production.

In our high-end wines, we privilege Malolactic fermentation in new American and French oak barrels. In other wines, this process takes place in stainless steel tanks.

Malolactic fermentation (process of biological deacidification) transforms Malic Acid into Lactic Acid, making wine smoother and more exquisite. Lactic comes from the Latin word Lactis - meaning Milk, referring to a smooth and buttery texture.

Cellar

Our best wines are aged in barrels made of French (80%) and American oak (20%), in a moisture- and temperature-controlled cellar, enabling adequate maturing.

The varieties are aged separately in 225 L barrels for 6 months to 2 years, depending on the wine in question. The micro-oxygenation that occurs during this period, through the pores of the wood, contributes to the proper evolution of the wine. Aging the wine in high quality oak barrels also promotes the transfer of some of the wood elements (tannins and aromatic compounds) to the wine, giving it complexity and elegance.