Adega Belém

Adega Belém, Lisbon, Portugal

Winemakers Catarina Moreira & David Picard

Region Lisboa

Country Portugal

Soil Type Sand and Limestone

Main Varieties Arinto, Encruzado, Viosinho, Moscatel Graudo, Castelão, Alicante Bouchet, and Touriga Nacional

Husband and wife team; David and Catarina (capably overseen by daughters Ana-Lula and Sofia), both came from academic research backgrounds in anthroology and evolutionary biology, respectively. In 2013 they decided it would be fun to re-train as winemakers, study at other wineries around the world, and finally set up on their own.

Adega Belém is now Lisbon's first urban winery, based in the heart of the Belém district of the city. They are a stones throw away from the banks of the Tagus and source their white grapes from Lisbon University's institute of agronomy. The vineyards are even more central within the city, visible from the bridge over the Tagus as you enter the city from the South. As they don't yet own their own vineyards, other grapes come from contracted vineyards in the local, Lisboa area, including reds from Carcavelos and Alenquer, and moscatel from Setubal.

They built their winery by converting an old car garage, replacing only what was needed and maintaining as much of the original structure as possible; they needed a new roof, but they kept the old bodywork spray room, which is now a very cool barrel cellar!

Using indiginous varieties and a minimalist approach in the winery, their philosophy could perhaps be described as making interesting, high-quality wines in a fun and experimental way. Most of their cuvees are less than 1000 Litres, and their ingredients list goes as follows:

Grapes, a little sulphites, love, a kiss for Max, and nothing else!

www.adegabelem.com