Explicit 2018

Familia Rosa Santos

Our familial tie to winemaking is deeply rooted in Quinta de Valverde, located in Caldas da Rainha. This estate has been a part of our family for over 400 years, passing down from our great-grandmother Rosinda Mayer Caldas Botelho Moniz to our grandfather Frederico Eduardo Rosa Santos. Its history traces back to around 1620 when Cristóvão Botelho Sequeira, originally from Seixal, settled in Óbidos. For his services to the Kingdom, he was granted land and his son, Belchior Botelho Sequeira, was named the 1st Morgado de Valverde, significantly advancing the farm's wine production.

The estate, and with it the tradition of winemaking, was handed down primarily to the first-born male over generations. Its zenith came in the 19th century under the management of Gertrudes Magna Romeyro da Fonseca Botelho and her son Francisco Botelho Moniz de Sequeira. During their tenure, production soared to approximately 1,000,000 liters, primarily for export, with some of these historic wines still resting in the farm’s cellar. Today, the current generation, including Jorge Botelho Rosa Santos, Maria da Luz Granate Rosa Santos, and their children Frederico, Ricardo, Jorge, and Vasco, are dedicated to honoring their ancestors' legacy with a family-named wine, celebrating four centuries of rich winemaking heritage.