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 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.

No relevant data were found.

“Youthfully compact, but with good coiled-up, juicy energy, which should allow the dark plum, fig and blackberry reduction notes to meld steadily with the backdrop of alder, licorice root and baker's chocolate. Shows serious density and grip for the vintage, too." — acclaim for 2021 Wine & Soul Pintas from Wine Spectator, Jan 2024

“Black cherries, black currants, licorice and roasted herbs on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied, creamy and polished, with fine-grained tannins and a delicious finish.”
— acclaim for 2021 Wine & Soul Pintas from James Suckling, Jan 2024

“Inky opaque purple. Smells of black tea, dried flowers and boysenberries. Intense boysenberry and black-tea flavours mix with black cherry, crushed herbs and a hint of fennel. Muscular tannins wrap around the fresh, juicy core of fruit that vibrates with fantastic acidity and length. A hint of orange peel emerges in the finish. Powerful and complex, but without weight on the palate. Like to age beautifully.” – 19+ points/20 — acclaim for 2021 Wine & Soul Pintas from Jancis Robinson, Dec 2023

View more acclaim

Find a Distributor