João Portugal Ramos - Winery

João Portugal Ramos’s Vila Santa is Thriving on International Grounds

With vineyards stretched over charming CimaCorgo and Duoro Superior, Vila Santa is over a decade and a half old winery in the Estremoz region. Today, the winery is well-known worldwide for its top-quality Portuguese wines, olive oil, and vinegar.

Forty Years of Dedication and Determination

João Portugal Ramos, the owner of Vila Santa Winery, started his career as an oenologist in 1980. With the family’s winemaking history and accumulated experience, he bought five hectares of vineyards in Estremoz in 1989. From his 1992’s harvest, he produced wines in a rented building. João’s desire to have his own winery was fulfilled with the construction of Vila Santa in 1997.

Winery Expansion for the Third Time for More Red Wines

By 2000, the winery underwent various developments – the extension of the winery to 9000 square meters, the introduction of modern vinification technology, the construction of bottling room and cellars with 300 French, American, and Hungarian oak barrels. A new project in the Vinho Verde region is solely dedicated to international markets, started in 2010. Later in 2014, son João Maria joined the winery business, and today, he dedicatedly follows his father’s footsteps. Filipa, Ramos’s daughter, equally participates in the winery processes, handling the sales and marketing department.

Vines in the Finest Alentejo & Douro Terroirs

João Portugal Ramos works on estate-owned vineyards, along with long-term rental plots, accounting for 600 hectares, in four different regions. The company cultivates unique Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouchet, Aragonez, and Cabernet Sauvignon. With respect to mother nature, some hectares are planted with Petit Verdot, Verdelho, Sauvignon Blanc, and Alvarinho. The grapes are manually picked during the harvest and moved to the cellar in small cases.

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