Casa de Vila Nova is one of the historical houses that embellish the beautiful Sousa sub region, in the Vinho Verde Wine Region, a few kilometers away from Penafiel. It has been thriving for eight centuries under the wise administration of the Lencastre, a family of noble descent that has discovered all the potential of their vineyards in recent years.
There grow the traditional vine varieties of the Verde Wine – Alvarinho, Loureiro, Avesso, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc that find the ideal conditions of aging in this unique terroir. In a contemporary cellar, with a 2,300 meters covered area and the capacity of 350.000 liters, a rigorous winemaking process takes place extracting all the potential from the grapes.
The portfolio exhibits the triumph of the Lencastre family in the world of the Verde Wine. It starts with Vila Nova Alvarinho, an aromatic varietal, with white fruit hints and minerality; a very balanced, with good volume and long and persistent aftertaste wine. Then we have the Avesso, made from a vine variety from Baião that originates wines such as this one, delicate, subtle, complex, yet fresh, well-balanced and perfumed. There is also Loureiro that reaches one of its most interesting expressions, in an irreverent monovarietal, very citric and aromatic.
Among the international vine varieties, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay stand out. Each of them has originated a varietal Vila Nova. The first exhibits the traditional aromas of the vine variety, fresh and tropical in a smooth declination, very fresh and balanced. The second is golden colored, with green apple hints, a touch of wood and good structure. The both pay homage, in unexpected ways, to the region they grow in. Vila Nova Reserva stands out for its quality and the vigor of its organoleptic features. A wine that ages for 12 months in French oak, with wooden hints, perfect to go with meat, fish, seafood and sushi, stimulating its gastronomic potential.
Last but not least, the Vila Nova Vinho Verde has earned the Verde Ouro Diploma for the “Melhor Verde do Ano” (Best Verde of the Year) in a gala organized by the Comissão de Viticultura da Região dos Verdes. A primus inter pares, blend of Loureiro, Arinto e Avesso, with a floral aroma profile, citric fruit hints, young and vibrant, made to go with white meat, salad or to drink as an elegant appetizer.
The old Lencastre, whose protector shadow is considered an inspiration in Quinta de Vila Nova, would be very proud of their descendants. They, that have probably commanded the Reconquest, would not disdain the triumphs of Martim, António and António Azevedo Guedes, and the glamour that they imprint on the destinies of this ancestral estate.
