Over 40 years ago in Melgaço, our family began planting the Alvarinho grape on land once used mainly for corn and wine. Recognizing the grape’s value and the land’s potential, we expanded year after year, growing to over 30 vineyard plots covering 5 hectares, while improving cultivation and production techniques.
In 2012, José Manuel Fernandes, the eldest son, saw the grapes’ quality as a business opportunity. By 2015, he began producing wine in his own facilities under the brand “Encosta da Capela.”
The name honors the family’s Chapel beside the winery and its surrounding hillside vineyards, known as the “campos da capela.” It also pays tribute to the Master who built the Chapel and contributed to the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Peneda and other works in Melgaço.
