Wine & Soul
Brand Description
Located in the heart of the Douro Valley, Portugal’s best-known wine region, Wine & Soul spans several picturesque vineyards. This innovative yet rustic winery was founded by Jorge Serôdio Borges and his wife Sandra Tavares da Silva, both of whom wished to channel their extensive experience into a winery that would showcase the traditional varieties and terroir of the Douro Valley on an international level.
Location of Vineyard
Initially, Wine & Soul consisted of a lone vineyard, Pintas, located in the Cima Corgo's prized Pinhão Valley. Throughout the years, it expanded to include additional properties, such as the magnificent Quinta da Manoella. Parcels of 80-year-old vines are tucked into terraces carved out by dynamite a century ago. Walls built from the displaced schist border the vines, preventing erosion and enhancing the idyllic landscape.
Winemaking and Viticulture Philosophy
Wine & Soul has received considerable critical praise for its character-driven wines, all of which represent the exceptional terroir of the Douro region. Natural farming is prioritized, and no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides are used. Irrigation is minimal and performed only by hand, and indigenous yeasts are used for almost all fermentation. Organic certification by Sativa is pending.
Due to the steep grade of the slopes and the narrow width of the terraces, all grapes must be picked by hand. The fruit is foot-trodden in granite lagares, which yields fine, silky tannins since the process is so gentle on the grapes. The wines are all aged in French barriques.
Jorge Serôdio Borges and Sandra Tavares da Silva, the husband-and-wife owners/winemakers behind Wine & Soul, have a long history in winemaking. Previously, Jorge Serôdio Borges was an oenologist at Niepoort. Sandra Tavares da Silva has the recognition of being the first female winemaker in the Douro. She gained her experience at Quinta do Vale D. Maria in the Douro and at her family’s estate of Chocapalha in Estremadura.
Winery Profile
Winemaker: Sandra Tavares da Silva and Jorge Serôdio Borges
Total acreage under vine: 45
Founded: 2001
Production: 30000
Acclaim
