Pêra-Grave Sociedade Agrícola Unip., Lda.

Description

Quinta de São José de Peramanca is located five kilometers from Évora, on Estrada Nacional 114. The large and traditional houses, marked by baroque architecture, and the adjacent church of São José make identification easier. With 34 hectares, the Quinta has its greatest assets in the manor house and its vineyard.

As for the peculiar name of the farm "Peramanca" (Pedra-Manca), it means "oscillating stone, not very secure", it is explained by the existence in the region of large granite stones in oscillating balance. Since Roman times and throughout the centuries, the western surroundings of Évora were considered one of the most important regions producing quality wine, with the area becoming known as “Terras de Peramanca”, given the abundance of these oscillating stones.

At the end of the 19th century, the wines produced there even won several medals in international competitions. However, around that time, the scourge of phylloxera ended the cultivation of vines in almost the entire country.

These peramanca lands were no exception and the wine-growing area was for some time reduced to the terroir next to our Quinta. Currently, Pêra-Grave wines, under the responsibility of João Grave, are the last known fruits of this same terroir.

With unique characteristics, the terroir of Pêra-Grave wines is based on a mantle of granite that is between one and a half and two meters deep. In some points, the depth of the granite stone reaches around 200 meters, which allows water to circulate here at a more superficial level than on most vineyard land. In fact, it is this condition that irrefutably explains all the virtuosity in the history of wines from these lands, even in times when irrigation systems were non-existent.

Since 2003, around 15.5 hectares of vineyards have been planted at Quinta de São José de Peramanca, including:

White grape varieties:
- Arinto
- Verdelho
- Alvarinho

Red varieties:
- Touriga Nacional
- Syrah
- Petit Syrah
- Alicante Bouschet
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Touriga Franca
- Petit Verdot