Development by DDSHOPAPPS
Cortes de Cima is situated on the slopes of the 400m high mountains of the Serra do Mendro. The great diversity of terroirs in our vineyards ranges from Mediterranean brown clay over limestone, mica schist, quartz-rich granite and well-graded gravel.
The oldest vines, surrounding the house and the winery, were planted in 1991. The names of the wines originate from these vineyard plots – “Cortes de Cima”, “Chaminé de Gião” and “Courela dos Pageis”.
The meaning of Cortes de Cima: An open, enclosed area or covered enclosure where cattle are kept, on top of a hill.
In choosing our grape varieties as well as our trellis system, we opted to follow the "Regional Wine" regulations, which are less restrictive than the "DOC" rules.
In 1991, Syrah was not permitted under either regulation, but Hans planted it anyway, convinced that we had an ideal climate and soil type for the famous Rhône grape variety. Our first "rule-breaking" Syrah vintage, in 1998, was bottled as "Incognito," and quickly gained praise and notoriety in Portugal, and medals representing awards won in London, Brussels, and Bordeaux.
