Anselmo Mendes Winery

Anselmo Mendes was born in Monção and has followed the tradition of his family of dedicating their lives to agriculture and wine, from generation to generation. The passion for the land took him to “Instituto Superior de Agronomia” (Institute of Agronomy) in Lisbon, where he... Read more Anselmo Mendes was born in Monção and has followed the tradition of his family of dedicating their lives to agriculture and wine, from generation to generation.
The passion for the land took him to “Instituto Superior de Agronomia” (Institute of Agronomy) in Lisbon, where he graduated in 1987. It was during his studies that his passion for wine grew. Two teachers, Pedro Belchior and Virgílio Loureiro, were very important to him.
After a post in the “Comissão de Viticultura Regional dos Vinhos Verdes” – C.V.R.V.V. (Vinho Verde Regional Viticulture Committee), he worked for the “Sociedade dos Vinhos Borges” in 1988. At that time, there wasn’t any oenologist responsible for the Borges wines, and it was there that Anselmo learned and improved his techniques. Borges it’s a producer of Ports, Brandies, and wines from several Portuguese wine regions. Anselmo is still a consultant at there.
Because his origin is Monçao, his first Quinta was in Vale do Minho, Vinho Verde region. This region is composed with three major valleys: Vale do Minho (Alvarinho grape), Vale do Lima (Loureiro grape) and Vale do Douro-Baião (Avesso grape).
His passion is the Alvarinho grape variety, considered the most elegant Portuguese white grape and it is also the grape with most acidity.
In 1998, Anselmo produced his first wine – Muros de Melgaço Alvarinho. Ever since, this wine is awarded year after year, by the Portuguese wine magazine Revista dos Vinhos. This magazine also awarded him in 1997 the Oenologist of the Year.
At the moment he produces the following Vinho Verde wines: Muros de Melgaço, Muros Antigos Alvarinho, Muros Antigos, Loureiro, Espumante Muros Antigos, Passionada Loureiro, Alvarinho Curtimenta. Two new wines will be launched soon: Muros Antigos Avesso and Passito.
His last achievement came in 2006, when his wine “Muros Antigos Alvarinho 2005” was considered one of the best 100 wines of the world by the magazine Wine Enthusiast.
There’s no doubt that Anselmo Mendes is responsible for some of the best and most famous wines of Vinho Verde region.

Anselmo Mendes has an uncommon characteristic compared with the other Portuguese winemakers. Not only does he have a strong passion for viticulture, the techniques and processes, but he also has considerable experience in this field. His main concern is, first and foremost, in the vineyard because it is there that quality is born. The fact that quality white wines have been resurfacing in the last few years is not a mere coincidence due to the work and development by Anselmo Mendes. Not only in the re-organization of the vineyard but also in the cellar, where he seeks foremost to respect the true characteristics of each grape variety.

Anselmo is a very versatile winemaker. He advises on the production of several wines at Quintas in Vinho Verde region, such as: Casa de Vila Verde, Provam, Quintas de Melgaço, Casa de Cello, Quinta do Ameal, Quinta de Lourosa and Touquinheiras. In Douro, with his talent and know-how, Anselmo Mendes has contributed to the prestige of important trademarks and Quintas, namely: Quinta da Gaivosa, Quinta do Vale da Raposa, Quinta de Santa Júlia, Vinha de Romezal, Quinta de Covelos, Calheiros Cruz, Domingos Alves de Sousa, Quinta da Silveira, Quinta da Peça and Borges wines. In Dão he’s the winemaker of Pedro Paraíso producer. In Alentejo, he’s responsible for winemaking of all Sociedade Agrícola Vale de Joana wines namely Grou.

In 2003, he decided to produce wines in another region: Dão. He has chosen this region because of the quality of the grapes and he also thinks that this region has a potential still unknown. His Quinta is located in Tábua, in the south Dão, where the wines develop more fruit aromas and structure, and it has 30ha of planted red vines: 40% of Touriga Nacional, 40% of Tinta Roriz and 20% of Alfrocheiro. There’s also a very old vineyard of white grapes with around 46 varieties all mixed. In May 2007, his first Dão wine came out: ONLY by anselmo mendes is a 2004 vintage red with Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz grape varieties and a 2005 white, with the same name, vinified with more than 30 white grape varieties. – Description from GMT    (hide)