Gaining ground – the road to become one of the country’s top wine groups
Never before has Portugal been so popular, and that inevitably includes its booming wine sector.
Countless new brands are appearing on wine shop shelves along with revived iconic labels thanks to new and growing investors.
Less than a year ago, a new player made its debut on the Portuguese wine scene, a new holding on a mission to become one of the country’s top wine groups.
WineStone, whose portfolio already includes iconic wineries in the Douro, Vinho Verde, Lisbon, and Alentejo regions, was created by the José de Mello Group, a corporate giant that, among others, comprises CUF, Brisa, and Ravasqueira.
The latter, an Alentejo wine estate, grew more than 25% in the last six years, a swift increase that clearly indicated the wine sector’s potential for development within the José de Mello Group.
With a focus on both tradition and progress, WineStone is strategically selecting wineries with a strong historical background, renowned brands, and room for expansion as part of its goal to rank among the top three industry players and achieve over 60% export volume by 2030.
David Baverstock
Part of this ambitious plan was put into motion a little over two years ago when the new holding’s Executive President, Pedro Pereira Gonçalves, invited David Baverstock to join the Ravasqueira team in Arraiolos.
For the Australian winemaker, this was an exciting opportunity to start a new chapter.
“From the get-go, there was talk of the Mello family expanding the operation and buying quintas in the rest of Portugal,” recalls David, admitting that the prospect of making wine in other regions again was exhilarating.
Quinta do Paço de Teixeiró, Douro
Born in the Barossa Valley, the famous Australian wine region, David came to Portugal in 1982. Since then, he has worked with some of the most reputed wine producers, such as the Symington Group, Quinta do Crasto, and Esporão, where he was head of oenology for 30 years.
Celebrated as the pioneer of modern winemaking in Portugal, David is the only non-Portuguese national to win Winemaker of the Year – not once, but twice – in 2013 and 2015.
In January 2022, just two weeks after leaving Esporão, David joined Ravasqueira and, thanks to the priceless experience and knowledge he brings to the table, less than two years later, was appointed Chairman Winemaker of the WineStone group.
“It has all really fallen into place now”, says David, for whom working with a young team of passionate winemakers is like “being back at Esporão 20 years ago. It’s thrilling”.
How it all started
Acquired by the Mello family in 1943 as a country home, Ravasqueira is essentially where the WineStone project was born.
This is where José Manuel de Mello planted 45 hectares of vineyards in 1998, and since then, the company has expanded to produce 10 million bottles annually.
David explains that Ravasqueira has its own microclimate, enabling the winemaking team to produce “more elegant, fresher, more acidic wines. More gastronomic, with some bottle longevity for whites and reds”.
Here, the star products are the Vinha das Romãs red 2021 (€20.90), a velvety blend of Touriga Franca and Syrah, and the recently rebranded Heritage red 2020 (€50), a multi-layered blend of Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Alicante Bouschet and Petit Verdot.
Ravasqueira, Alentejo
Back to the Douro
Along with its launch last October, WineStone announced the first wineries it acquired to build its unique portfolio: Quinta do Retiro Novo, Krohn, Quinta do Côtto, and Quinta do Paç̧o de Teixeiró.
Krohn, a centuries-old Port wine brand, founded in 1865 by two Norwegians, Theodor Wiese and Dankert Krohn, and Quinta do Retiro Novo in the Douros’ Rio Torto valley in the Douro region, celebrated WineStone’s entry into the Port wine arena.
Quinta do Côtto, Douro
This is a particularly special project for David, who worked in the Douro for many years. “Going back after all these years is amazing,” he concedes. His previous experience and knowledge of the region are an incredible asset, with which they will build up the Krohn brand as a premium port producer.
The port brand’s highlight is the Krohn Vintage 2017 (€71), considered “Best in Show” at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2024, a classification given to the 50 best wines in the competition. But there will also be room for novelty in the Douro, as WineStone also has “a serious table wine project” in the pipeline for Quinta do Retiro Novo.
Quinta do Côtto, Douro
Downriver, we find Quinta do Côtto. “It’s something new for me,” David admits candidly.
“Côtto has its particular style. It’s based in the Corgo. Wines here are fresher and more acidic. We have to maintain that, but maybe give them a bit more mouthfeel without changing the style and profile of the wines,” he reflects. A beautiful expression of the Baixo Corgo, the Quinta do Côtto Grande Escolha 2020 (€66) is the wine that stands out at this estate.
On the border with the Douro region, in the Vinho Verde territory, in Baião, Quinta do Paço de Teixeiró adds freshness and minerality to the portfolio. This is where we find the most exquisite expressions of the Avesso grape variety, along with Alvarinho and Loureiro, planted on schist soils, unlike most Vinho Verde producers. Even during the summer, this steep valley generates tremendous thermal amplitudes. It is the perfect terroir to produce great white wines, such as the Paço de Teixeiró Avesso 2021 (€13).
Conquering Lisbon
The holding’s latest acquisition, which saw it enter yet another new region a few months back, is Lisbon’s famous Quinta de Pancas.
This is very much a “red wine producing Quinta”, points out David, although it is also known for its Chardonnay.
Quinta de Pancas, Lisboa
Founded in 1495 and recognised for producing superior quality wines made with French grape varieties, Quinta de Pancas enjoys a privileged location between hills, valleys and plains, under the influence of the Serra de Montejunto and the marshes on the right bank of the Tagus River.
Here, David and his team will “focus on the Cabernet Sauvignon as the Premium red”. Its current Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection (€26) is a deep ruby red with polished tannins and a long, strong, spicy finish.
Like other brands in the portfolio, Quinta de Pancas has tradition, history, and market recognition. Who knows which region and iconic winery will be the next to join the WineStone portfolio?
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