1974 was the year of the Carnation Revolution that ended the long fascist dictatorship of the Estado Novo and equally felicitously marked the foundation of Soalheiro in Monção e Melgaço, a place without permissions to plant vines. In those days rural poverty was even more abject than now and the introduction of investment and work opportunities into a subsistence farming economy was a boon to the area. It is a granite region at the northernmost point of Portugal, sheltered by mountains and with a lot of north-facing slopes that are useful for producing grapes with freshness.

Soalheiro helps to change the wealth of the area and with its 14 hectares of vineyards has also changed its appearance with feilds of pergola-trained vines on y-shaped concrete posts. They farm organically throughout the estate, though not all thee land is yet certified. They make all sorts of wines from their beloved Alvarinho, with a little Vinhao and Loureiro. Soalheiro is a terrific grower with a fabulous range of wines and a questioning outlook. (19/08/19)