A Brief History of the Quintas.MVCA
Maria Virgínia Costa Almeida's (MVCA) family legacy began with her great-grandfather, José Joaquim Costa, born in 1841, who acquired and managed the first smallholder farms, including Canavezo (Quinta Vale D. Aida), located in Cedovim, a former municipality with a charter from 1271, today a town and parish in the municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Coa, where the family traditionally lived.
At the turn of the 20th century, António Joaquim Costa, born in 1874 and Maria Virgínia's grandfather, joined his father at a young age, successfully producing, trading and exporting olive oil and Port wine. Over the course of several decades, he expanded the family business, acquiring other farms in the region, namely Quinta do Torrão and Quinta de São Xisto. He became an important businessman, belonging to the Guild of Olive Oil Exporters and recognised as one of the main olive oil and wine producers in the region, particularly in the parishes of Vale de Figueira in São João de Pesqueira, as well as Cedovim and Mós in Vila Nova de Foz Côa.
In the second half of the 20th century, Maria Virgínia and her husband, Manuel Duarte Ramos, passionately embraced the operation of the estates passed down to them, ensuring their progressive renovation. Today, under Maria Virgínia's leadership and the management of her daughters and sons-in-law, new viticulture, oenology and tourism projects continue to be launched, ensuring the development of the estates with a vision of the future.
O nosso projeto no Douro Superior
Welcome to our project in the Douro Superior! We are passionate about creating exceptional wines and promoting the region, incorporating our values into everything we do. Our mission is to produce high-quality wines in a way that is committed to tradition, sustainability, inclusion, diversity and development.
We respect the tradition rooted in the Douro region. Our vineyards are cared for using methods that have been passed down from generation to generation, honouring the knowledge accumulated over the years. By marrying traditional techniques with contemporary innovations, we want to create wines that express the essence and authenticity of this historic wine region.
On our Quintas, we adopt sustainable practices to protect and preserve the environment around us. We work in harmony with nature, implementing cultivation techniques that promote biodiversity on our land. We believe that sustainable viticulture not only allows us to produce authentic wines, but also contributes to the regeneration of our ecosystem.
We deeply value inclusion and diversity. Whether in our team, promoting equal opportunities and ensuring an inclusive environment, or because we believe that diversity enriches our experience and allows us to create wines that reflect the richness and plurality of the world around us.
We are committed to the development of the local community. We value partnerships with local farmers and suppliers, supporting the regional economy and contributing to sustainable growth. In addition, we want to promote responsible wine tourism, inviting visitors to visit our vineyards and discover the beauty and culture of the Douro.
It is with great enthusiasm that we share our wines with you. Join us on this unique wine journey, where pleasure and awareness meet.
MVCA wines
We are creating an initial portfolio with three very different wines, a red wine from the estate, a red wine from the plot and a fresh white wine from the highlands.
D. Cremilde
D. Cremilde, launched in 2021, was the first of our wines and had the decisive collaboration of winemaker/producer Jorge Coutinho, it's an estate wine, created from the most common grape varieties in the region, complemented by others with particular characteristics, all sourced from Quinta São Xisto's own grapes from different single-variety plots.
Vinha Maria Virginia
Vinha Maria Virginia, resulta da seleção de uma parcela muito especial de vinha na Quinta da Torrão que pela sua idade, variedade de castas, localização, exposição solar e altitude, encorajou o enólogo António Braga a associar-se à família em 2022 para criar este vinho tão especial para todos nós.
Vale D. Aida
Vale D. Aida was born in association with the family's most recent investment project at Quinta Vale D. Aida, with the aim of creating a high-altitude white wine with a lot of freshness and youth, which is planned for the 2024 harvest by winemaker António Braga, as part of his collaboration with Quintas.MVCA.
Vinhos mvca
Wine tourism...the new project
As a complement to our main activities, farming and wine production, we want to progressively develop wine tourism on our estates.
The restoration of a group of old buildings located along the banks of the River Douro, next to the Freixo-Mós railway station, which historically served as support for the construction of the Douro line and were later used for the farm's agricultural activities.
Making use of the main nucleus and the small houses scattered around the traditional village of São Xisto, located on the banks of the River Douro next to the Ferradosa station.
Rehabilitation of the family home, a typical building in the region, in the centre of the village of Cedovim.