Thinking about Portugal it is almost impossible not to think about Port wines, the renowned fortified wines known for their excellent elegance. Portugal wines are not just Port and Port also means Douro, one of the best quality wine areas of Portugal. In this area, besides Port, are also produced excellent wines with local grapes which are sometimes rich, full bodied and elegant. Castelinho Vinhos is devoted to both Port style wines and still wines, a combination which is capable of proving the high quality of this winery.

	Quinta do Castelinho

 Quinta do Castelinho, the former name of the winery which is still used for their Port style wines, has always been known as a high quality wine producer and is currently associated to the Saraiva family. The winery is headed today by Manuel António Crúzio Saraiva who runs the company and continues the work that was started by his father, in the 1960's, in the name of Port wines greatness. Nowadays Quinta do Castelinho is one of the biggest producers of Port wine as a result of their efforts in promoting their own brand name. Castelinho Vinhos is located after Cachão da Valeira and benefits of a privileged geographical condition, with a micro climate influenced by both Atlantic and Mediterranean conditions, schistose soil which allows constant heat concentration, well positioned slopes in the region with generous and balanced amounts of sunlight and a careful selection of the best Portuguese grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz. Castelinho's vineyards and winery are located in the S. João da Pasqueira area, in the heart of Cima Corgo, classified as “A”, the highest classification given by regulating authorities. Sheltered by the basin formed in the region, Quinta do Castelinho region consists of approximately 120 acres, 50 of which are vineyards.

 Quinta do Castelinho is located inside the Douro valley, the first demarcated region in the world by Marquês de Pombal who ordered in 1757 that the borders of the valley be marked with solid granite markers. The past of Quinta do Castelinho accompanies the history of Port wine; the early days of the winery coincide with the coming down of the stone boulders that crossed the Douro river and made it possible to navigate from Oporto to Barca d'Alva. From October 22, 1789 all farms located before Cachão da Valeira, including Castelinho, could finally progress. In 1848 Quinta do Castelinho linked Quinta do Padrão, Quinta da Azenha, Quinta do Vau and Quinta do Pelão, all indicated on Baron Forrester's map. In 1903 Quinta do Castelinho belonged to Mr. A. P. Ferreira Múaze and at that time, with a perimeter of 11 Km, was considered to be quite extensive. Around 1939 Mrs. Berta Damasceno Ribeiro Meda was in charge of the property, being then passed onto Mr. Mário Alberto Milhano and finally to Manuel António Saraiva, father of the company's current chairman of the board. When Quinta do Castelinho was acquired in 1969, Manuel Anónio Saraiva (father) was responsible for the transportation of Port wine through his transportation company located in Pinhão. At that time, all wine produced on properties in the Douro region was then transported to export companies located in Vila Nova de Gaia. In 1986, with the establishment of the Douro Trading Center, Quinta do Castelinho launches its own brand name and is nowadays well positioned in the Port wine business. In 1990 the company changed its name to Quinta Castelinho and in the same decade changed it again to Castelinho Vinhos. Three years later Castelinho Vinhos S.A. became one of the first producers of Port wine to export directly from the demarcated region of Douro and, in the following years, acquired Quinta de S. Domingos, where they built a warehouse to stock and to age wine, along with the main administrative office and a reception center for tourism.

Mr. Manuel António Saraiva (father)

 Symbolizing the excellence of Portugal, Port wine, as we know it, first came into the market in 1820. Because of its unique taste, this sweet and fine wine captivated the English bourgeois in the beginning of the century, making one of the most appreciated wine in the world. Port wine is a fortified wine which is obtained by stopping the fermentation process by adding brandy from grapes. There are two types of Port: red and white. White Port is exclusively made of white grapes and follows wine making procedures similar to red Port wine production. Whit an alcohol level from 9% to 22%, they are characterized by sweetness from very sweet (the so called “Lágrima”), to sweet (“Doces”), semi sweet (“Meios Doces”), dry (“Secos”) and extra dry (“Extra Secos”). As for red Ports, there are two major groups: the ones produced from non dated lots, made up from a mixed lot (Ruby, Tawny, 10, 20, 30, 40 years older and even older) and dated Ports (Vintage, Late Bottled Vintage or LBV in short, and Dated Ports). Because of the number of years in which Port wine age as well as the container (wooden barrel or bottle), it acquires a great variety of aromas and flavors which are complex and rich.

	Mr. Manuel António Crúzio Saraiva, Chairman of Castelinho Vinhos

 Quinta do Castelinho produces a complete range of Port wines, from standard wines to special categories. Standard categories consist of delicately fruity young wines ideal to drink daily. Standard Port wines produced by the winery include White Port, Tawny, obtained from lots aged in casks and usually has an average age of 3 years, and Ruby, a young and fruity Port wine obtained by blending recent wines. Special category Ports, that is superior quality Port wines, include Tawny Port, released as Reserve, 10, 20, 30 and 40 years old and dated, Ruby colored Port, released as Vintage Character, LBV and Vintage. Among Port wines, the ones which certainly are considered the best are the glamorous Vintages which are produced only in the very best years, in limited quantities, and with the best grapes. Quinta do Castelinho has produced great Vintages throughout the 1990's, namely in 1991, 1994, 1996 and especially in 1997. Vintage Ports are intended to be saved in cellars in order to allow their astonishing and astounding development, something that can be tasted by the ones who are patient and want to very best from Vintage ports.

 Quinta do Castelinho is also excellent still wines. Although the fame and prestige of Port wines has throughout the century overshadowed the quality of Douro table wines, nowadays the Douro still wines, being recognized as Denominação de Origem Controlada (Controlled Denomination of Origin), in short DOC, are a great venture for the region and it is where Quinta do Castelinho has one of its greatest assets. In order to achieve this, Quinta do Castelinho selects the most adequate grapes of its property, as well as obtaining the best grapes of some neighboring farms in the Cima Corgo region. All the conditions exist in its wine making center to produce high quality Douro wines, white and red, including an area where wine ages in new French and American oak barrels. The following wines produced by Quinta do Castelinho have been very successful at a national and international level: Douro Castelinho Colheita, Castelinho Reserva and Lagar dos Saraivas. Most recently Castelinho has extended its activity to some of Portugal's best wine regions, bottling wines from the Alentejo, Dão and Vinho Verde with their own brand names. At the same time they have expanded their product line to include a Bagaceira brandy and a very old wine brandy, aged in oak casks for more than 35 years.

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