Quinta do Pinto makes maritime Lisbon reds from Portuguese and international grapes, with indigenous yeast fermentation.
The producer
At Merceana in the Lisbon Wine Region, Quinta do Pinto surrounds a seventeenth century manor house and traditional cellar. António Cardoso Pinto initiated the family project after visiting the property, and his eldest daughter Rita manages it today. The vineyards have southern exposure, Atlantic influence and shelter from northern winds provided by Montejunto Mountain. In the cellar, grape bunches are sorted, fermentations use indigenous yeasts, and concrete tanks sit alongside oak ageing facilities. The red range includes Estate Collection, Touriga Nacional Reserva and Tinta Miúda Limited Edition.
Known for
Maritime Lisbon red blends
Notable facts
Quinta do Pinto is in Merceana in the Lisbon Wine Region.
The estate is certified for integrated production.
All fermentations at the winery use indigenous yeasts.
The red range includes Estate Collection, Touriga Nacional Reserva and Tinta Miúda Limited Edition.
From the atlas
Quinta do Pinto
Quinta do Pinto in Merceana makes Lisbon wines from a maritime site and a cellar built around indigenous yeast fermentation.
At A Glance
Field
Detail
Region
Lisbon Wine Region
Place
Merceana, Alenquer
Grapes
19 red and white Portuguese and international varieties
Signature wine
Estate Collection Red
Defining feature
Southern exposure, Atlantic influence and indigenous yeast fermentation
The Producer
António Cardoso Pinto initiated the family project after visiting the property. Rita, his eldest daughter, manages it today. The estate surrounds a seventeenth century manor house beside a traditional cellar, giving the project a physical centre in Merceana.
Quinta do Pinto favours minimal intervention and careful grape handling. The winery receives bunches on a sorting carpet, presses them, ferments in concrete tanks and includes an oak barrel ageing area and tasting room. All fermentations use indigenous yeasts.
Place
Quinta do Pinto sits at Merceana in the Lisbon Wine Region, with its postal address in Aldeia Galega da Merceana, Alenquer. The ocean is 20 kilometres away, and the vineyards grow in a moderate maritime climate with Mediterranean characteristics. Average annual rainfall is 700 millimetres.
The ground is Jurassic clay limestone with a clay loam texture and pH between 7 and 7.5. Maritime influence can preserve freshness during ripening, while clay limestone provides the physical base for the vines.
Wines
The red range places Estate Collection beside a Merlot and Syrah blend, a Touriga Nacional Reserva and a Tinta Miúda Limited Edition. Estate Collection is the blended red, while the Reserva and Limited Edition are single variety wines.
Published descriptions of the Estate Collection Red disagree on the blend count. Wine Enthusiast counts six grapes, three Portuguese and three French, while Curry Wines gives a list of five varieties. The proportions and the sixth grape remain unclear.
In The Glass
The Estate Collection Red is deep ruby, with ripe red fruit, plum compote, toast and dark chocolate in the aroma. The palate has silky tannins and a long, pleasurable finish. Wine Enthusiast found a cool edge and lifted blackberry fruit at the end, linking that freshness to the vineyard's proximity to the Atlantic.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose the 2015 Quinta do Pinto Estate Collection Red. Curry Wines names Aragonez, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tinta Miúda and Touriga Nacional in the bottle. The varieties were vinified separately, fermented for 14 days in lagares and aged for 12 months in used French oak. It puts several Portuguese and international varieties into one red before the Touriga Nacional Reserva and Tinta Miúda Limited Edition are tasted as single variety wines.
Final Word
Quinta do Pinto joins Lisbon maritime conditions, Portuguese grape varieties and indigenous yeast fermentation in a portfolio that includes blended and single variety reds.