Douro wine tourism with another commitment to excellence 

More than twenty years have passed since the foundation of Lavradores de Feitoria, a Douro producer with a reputation for wine production, which now opens its doors to Enotourism. 

With twenty estates spread over the best terroirs of the three sub-regions of the Douro (Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior), Lavradores de Feitoria assumes itself as a wine producer that has a unique innovative business model in the Douro, and in the rest of the country, investing heavily in a logic of social, economic and environmental sustainability. Founded in September 2000, under a joint leadership in management and a unique team in oenology, Lavradores de Feitoria was initially the result of the union of fifteen farmers who came together to share resources and create synergies to go further. More than twenty years later, Lavradores de Feitoria is made up of fifty-three shareholders, sixteen of which own nineteen farms, to which is added Quinta do Medronheiro, purchased with the company’s capital. It is precisely on this farm, located in Sabrosa, that the new cellar of these farmers was recently born, as well as the visitor center and the wine store. 

CEO Olga Martins and oenology director Paulo Ruão, a duo recognized for the excellent work carried out at Lavradores de Feitoria, who are also shareholders, are the most visible faces of a team of professionals who work daily so that the project continues to be a reason of pride for the Douro. In total, Lavradores de Feitoria has at its disposal grapes from more than 600 hectares of vineyards. The wine portfolio is made up of brands such as ‘Lavradores de Feitoria’ (white, rosé and red), ‘Três Bagos’ (white Sauvignon Blanc, white Reserva, red Reserva, Grande Escolha red and Grande Escolha Prolonged Stage red), Vinha da Meruge (white and red), Quinta da Costa das Aguaneiras (red) and the new Vinha do Sobreiro (red). It also has celebration wines, such as ‘Lavradores de Feitoria 18 and special projects and brands for specific markets. 

The wine tourism aspect, led by Eduardo Ferreira (in the entry photo), born in the region and a recognized professional in the sector, comprises visits, tastings and a wine shop. Now, with the structure, team and procedures in place, demand is high, hence they have advanced – at the request of the various partners – with a new offer, an experience called ‘Winemaker for a day’. Lasting 2h30, it allows visitors to create a batch in their own name, resulting in a unique bottle of wine. The visit begins with a guided tour of the vineyard, cellar, bottling line, wine cellar and barrel room. It continues with the tasting of three red wines – Vinha da Meruge, Vinha do Sobreiro and Quinta da Costa das Aguaneiras –, in order to understand the impact that terroir and the type of vinification have on the final result of a wine. Afterwards, it is time to make the blend. In the end, the visitor still bottles and labels his own bottle. However, those who want to do other types of visits and simpler tastings just choose, as the offer ranges from a simple guided tour, to visits with wine tasting and yet another special, private experience, with tasting of so-called ‘superb wines’. ‘. 

These tastings reflect the wine portfolio of Lavradores de Feitoria. In the Identity tasting, the idea is to share the history of the company and its name, while tasting the white, rosé and red Lavradores de Feitoria’. In the Concept tasting, the wines chosen are the white Lavradores de Feitoria, the red and the Três Bagos Reserva red, all of them blended, in which each of the Lavradores brings part of itself and its wine heritage. The Planalto tasting is only made up of white wines, being from the higher and flatter areas that the grapes of the white Lavradores de Feitoria, the white Três Bagos Reserva and the white Três Bagos Sauvignon Blanc come from. As its name implies, the Terroir tasting has wines that reflect the region where the white Vinha da Meruge grapes, the new Vinha do Sobreiro red and Quinta da Costa das Aguaneiras red grapes come from. At the highest level, where the tasting is called Soberbo, is the Vinha da Meruge white and red pair, the Três Bagos Grande Escolha red and the Três Bagos Grande Escolha Prolonged Stage red. 

The Lavradores de Feitoria visitor center and wine shop are open from Monday to Friday, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Regular visits take place from Monday to Friday at 11:00 am and 4:00 pm. In the case of private visits and the ‘Winemaker for a day’ experience, there is flexibility in hours, always depending on availability and with mandatory prior appointment, which must be made (and confirmed) with the wine tourism manager Eduardo Ferreira, through the e-mail -mail winetourism@lavradoresdefeitoria.pt or mobile number 968 667 660, up to 48 hours in advance.