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Meet the Winemaker
The newest addition to our portfolio is winemaker João Portugal Ramos. In twenty-five years he has gone from his personal vineyard to one of the most respected winemakers in Portugal.
João Portugal Ramos started a personal project by planting 5 hectares of vineyards in Estremoz, Portugal, where he has lived since 1988. His first harvest was 1992 and until he built his first winery in 1997 he used rented buildings.
With the opening of the Vila Santa winery in Estremoz the first Marquês de Borba Reserva was made and in the following year the Colheita is born, which, to this day, remains the strongest wine in the group showing unwavering consistency year after year. In 2005 the winery and wines of Joao's in-laws, the Counts of Foz de Arouce, were added to the collection. In 2007, with the assistance of winemaker José Maria Soares Franco, the Duorum project was launched in the golden Douro Valley.
Duorum is the Latin for "from two" as it brings together quality wine and sustainability. The vineyards at Castelo Melhor are sited in the Douro International Natural Park, a unique territory which protects three rupiculous bird species: the Egyptian vulture, the Griffon vulture, and the Black Stork. The vineyards have been planted with natural vegetation and cover crops to prevent erosion, and vegetation strips with trees and shrubs have been planted along the tracks and waterways.
After 25 years of winemaking, João received the "Senhor do Vinho" (Wine Lord) Award in 2017 from Revista de Vinhos - the most respected Portuguese wine publication. Today JPR wines are present throughout the world as leaders of Portuguese wines. Joao now works side by side with two his children, João Maria and Filipa.
