Quinta Da Pedra Alta
Nestled amidst the breathtaking beauty of Portugal's Douro Valley, Quinta da Pedra Alta, which translates to "high stone," reflects not just its location but also its rich history. This esteemed vineyard sits within the Cima Corgo sub-region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its dramatic mountain ranges and the majestic Douro River carving a path through its heart. Cima Corgo holds a special place in the world of wine, celebrated for producing exceptional Ports and an emerging selection of exceptional fortified wines.
Quinta da Pedra Alta's story intertwines with the legacy of the Marquis of Pombal, who demarcated the finest vineyards in the Douro Valley in the 18th century. These markers, known as "Marcos Pombalinos," were granite stones placed throughout the region. Today, Quinta da Pedra Alta holds the distinction of being the only vineyard with three of these original markers still standing on its land, a testament to its longstanding dedication to quality. This unique heritage is proudly reflected in their logo, a symbol of their deep connection to the Douro Valley's illustrious past.
What truly sets Quinta da Pedra Alta apart are its distinctive vineyards. Unlike many modern Douro vineyards planted vertically on slopes, they exclusively utilize terraced vineyards, a testament to the region's challenging terrain. Some terraces even hold just a single row of vines, accessible only by foot. This necessitates a complete reliance on skilled local workers who understand the intricacies of each vine parcel. The meticulous care and knowledge of these individuals are woven into the very fabric of Quinta da Pedra Alta's wines.
The vineyards themselves boast a remarkable diversity of altitude, ranging from 230 to 550 meters above sea level. Combined with the varying slopes and sun exposure across the different faces of the hills, this creates a unique microclimate that contributes significantly to the complexity and balance found in their wines.
Delving deeper, we encounter the characteristic schist soils of the Douro Valley, a defining element of the region's terroir. These poor soils, while challenging, force the vine roots to dig deep, often exceeding 2 meters in their search for water and nutrients. This struggle results in concentrated and intensely flavored grapes, a key ingredient in crafting exceptional wines.
Quinta da Pedra Alta's commitment extends beyond the land itself. They cultivate a blend of indigenous and traditional Douro grape varieties, such as Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, and Gouveio. These time-tested grapes are meticulously blended to create their range of still wines and Ports, each a nuanced expression of the Douro Valley's unique character.
The dedication to tradition extends to the winemaking practices employed at Quinta da Pedra Alta. One such tradition is foot treading grapes, a gentle method that has been used for centuries. This technique effectively extracts color and flavor from the grapes while avoiding the harshness that can come with mechanical harvesting. They utilize six granite lagares, large treading tanks, for this purpose. This allows for meticulous control over the extraction process, ensuring the final handcrafted product embodies the perfect balance of body, tannins, and aromas.
Quinta da Pedra Alta is more than just a vineyard; it's a living testament to the Douro Valley's rich history and a passionate commitment to expressing the unique terroir through exceptional still wines and Ports. From the legacy of the "Marcos Pombalinos" to the meticulous care given in the terraced vineyards and the time-honored foot treading techniques, every step of the winemaking process reflects a deep respect for tradition and a relentless pursuit of quality.
Available Products
‘Pedra a Pedra' Tinto is an approachable, fruit-driven, structured Douro red, made from a blend of indigenous grape varieties grown on the schist soils of our terraced vineyards.
In 2020, average Spring rainfall and above-average temperatures combined to bring forward bud burst by up to three weeks. Heatwaves through the summer resulted in below-average yields and an early start to harvest. But the elevation of our vineyards (250 to 500 masl), combined with the low yields, resulted in full-flavored wines with good structure and balanced acidity.
Once the grapes are picked, our aim throughout is to preserve the fruit flavours and avoid over-extraction by gentle handling. The grapes are handpicked, hand sorted, destemmed, and fermented by wild yeasts at temperatures ranging from 20-25°C for 10 days on skins. The fermentation is managed by a variety of techniques depending on the fermentation vessel used. Foot treading followed by gentle plunging is employed on granite lagar ferments, whilst open top stainless steel tank/picking bin ferments are simply plunged. At the end of the maceration, the ferments are drained, pressed, and transferred to a combination of stainless steel tanks (70%) and old French oak barriques and hogsheads (30%) to undergo MLF. Post MLF, sulphur dioxide is added, and the wines mature sur lie for 18 months. Each varietal wine/parcel brings unique attributes to the final blend. Touriga Nacional brings a long textured palate with luscious red and blue fruits; Tinta Barroca brings juicy, vibrant red fruits; Touriga Franca brings mid palate weight and structure with rich black fruits and meaty characters, and Sousão brings deep colour and lively acidity.
Producer: Quinta da Pedra Alta
Winemaker: João Pires & Matt Gant
Region: Douro (Cima Couro)
Style: Red
Grape Varietals: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca, Sousão
Tasting Notes: Ruby color. Red and blue fruit with lifted aromatics and spice notes. Full-flavored, red, and blue fruited wine, with good structure, balanced acidity, and a long finish
Pairing: Steamed chilli mussels, cassoulet, BBQ sirloin steak
Ratings: Coming Soon
Quinta da Pedra Alta 'Rio' Tinto is an intense, savoury Douro red, made from parcels from our lowest elevations close to the river (Rio).
In 2020, average Spring rainfall and above-average temperatures combined to bring forward bud burst by up to three weeks. Heatwaves through the summer resulted in below-average yields and an early start to harvest. But the elevation of our vineyards (250 to 500 masl), combined with the low yields, resulted in full-flavoured wines with good structure and balanced acidity.
Once the grapes are picked, our aim throughout is to preserve the fruit flavours and avoid over-extraction by gentle handling. The grapes are handpicked, hand sorted, destemmed, and fermented by wild yeasts at temperatures ranging from 20-25°C for 10-12 days on skins. The fermentation is managed by a variety of techniques depending on the fermentation vessel used. Foot treading followed by gentle plunging is employed on granite lagar ferments, whilst open top stainless steel tank/picking bin ferments are simply plunged. At the end of the maceration, the ferments are drained/pressed and transferred to a combination of new French oak barriques (50%) and old French oak barriques to undergo MLF. Post MLF, sulphur dioxide is added, and the wines mature sur lie for 20 months before being blended. In a warm year such as this, Touriga Franca from the lowest elevations of the Quinta flourishes, with Tinto Cão adding a final punctuation mark. Once blended, the wine was bottled in August 2022.
Producer: Quinta da Pedra Alta
Winemaker: João Pires & Matt Gant
Region: Douro (Cima Couro)
Style: Red
Grape Varietals: Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão
Tasting Notes: Dark plum color. Blue and black fruits, with meaty, spice notes and smoky oak complexity. Intense, savoury wine, with a dense ferrous palate, and sustained finish.
Pairing: Cabrito assado no forno, Chanfana
Ratings: Coming Soon
‘Pedra a Pedra' Branco is a refreshing, aromatic, textured Douro white made from a blend of indigenous grape varieties from our highest vineyards.
The winter and spring period was characterized by abundant rains, providing sufficient water reserves for the healthy development of the grapevines and solid conditions for the 2023 Harvest. The moderate summer allowed healthy grape development, while slow ripening resulted in wines with good acidity and concentrated aromas. Intense rains in September posed a challenge, requiring careful vineyard management and rigorous monitoring of grape ripening status. Despite the difficulties, we managed to harvest the grapes before the rainwater compromised the quality of the vintage.
Once the grapes are picked, our aim throughout is to preserve the aromatics and fresh flavours by gentle handling and by keeping the fruit and juice as cool as possible. Picked early in the morning, the grapes are whole bunch pressed as soon as they arrive at the winery, and the juice is drained off immediately. The juice is then fermented by wild yeasts at 17ºC so that the wine maintains primary fruit aromas and flavours. Throughout the process, minimal handling and attention to detail ensure that the delicate aromatics are not compromised. Fermented to dryness, the wines were matured sur lie for 6 months before being blended. Each varietal wine brings unique attributes to the final blend. Rabigato brings citrus fruits and lively acidity, whilst Gouveio brings mid-palate weight with passion fruit and pineapple flavours. Once blended, the wine was bottled in May 2024.
Producer: Quinta da Pedra Alta
Winemaker: João Pires & Matt Gant
Region: Douro (Cima Couro)
Style: White
Grape Varietals: Rabigato, Gouveio
Tasting Notes: Pale yellow with green hues. Delicate aromas of citrus fruits, together with grapefruit and tropical notes. Bursting with citrus, passion fruit, and pineapple flavours with great texture and a lingering salty finish.
Pairing: Fresh prawns, BBQ sardines, pan-fried chicken breasts.
Ratings: Coming Soon
Quinta da Pedra Alta 'Melhor' Tinto is a complex, luxuriant Douro red, an ultimate expression of the vintage and our Quinta, a blend of the best barrels from our lowest and highest elevations on the Quinta.
In 2020, average Spring rainfall and above-average temperatures combined to bring forward bud burst by up to three weeks. Heatwaves through the summer resulted in below-average yields and an early start to harvest. But the elevation of our vineyards (250 to 500 masl), combined with the low yields, resulted in full-flavoured wines with good structure and balanced acidity.
Once the grapes are picked, our aim throughout is to preserve the fruit flavours and avoid over-extraction by gentle handling. The grapes are handpicked, hand sorted, destemmed, and fermented by wild yeasts at temperatures ranging from 20-25°C for 10-12 days on skins. The fermentation is managed by a variety of techniques depending on the fermentation vessel used. Foot treading followed by gentle plunging is employed on granite lagar ferments, whilst open top stainless steel tank/picking bin ferments are simply plunged. At the end of the maceration, the ferments are drained/pressed and transferred to a combination of new French oak puncheons (53%) and old French oak barriques to undergo MLF. Post MLF, sulphur dioxide is added, and the wines mature sur lie for 20 months before being blended. Each varietal wine/parcel brings unique attributes to the final blend. In a warm year, Touriga Nacional from the highest elevations of the Quinta brings along a textured palate with luscious red and blue fruits; Touriga Franca from the lowest elevations of the Quinta brings mid-palate weight and structure with rich black fruits and meaty characters; with the final seasoning provided by the punctuation of Sousão and Tinto Cão. Once blended, the wine was bottled in August 2022.
Producer: Quinta da Pedra Alta
Winemaker: João Pires & Matt Gant
Region: Douro (Cima Couro)
Style: Red
Grape Varietals: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Sousão, Tinta Cão
Tasting Notes: Dark plum color. Red, blue and black fruits, with chocolate, spice notes and smoky oak complexity. Rich, luxuriant wine, with a long-textured palate and balanced acidity.
Pairing: Butelo com cascas, Milhos de ribeira de pena
Ratings: Coming Soon
'Pedra a Pedra' Clarete is a lively and intriguing light red, made from a blend of indigenous red and white grape varieties grown on the schist soils of our terraced vineyards and fermented and matured together.
A very dry growing season, along with above-average temperatures through the summer, combined with very low yields to cause rapid ripening across the Douro. Nevertheless, at Quinta da Pedra Alta, our elevation and better yields resulted in a more gradual ripening curve, which allowed us to pick whites with full flavour and good acidity.
Once the grapes are picked, our aim throughout is to preserve the fruit flavours and avoid over-extraction by gentle handling. The grapes are handpicked, hand sorted, with 20% whole bunches placed on the bottom of the fermenter and the balance of the grapes destemmed on top. Red and white grapes are fermented together by wild yeasts at temperatures ranging from 20-25°C for 5 days on skins. The ferment is managed by gentle foot treading and plunging. At the end of the maceration, the ferments are drained, pressed, and transferred to a stainless-steel tank to undergo MLF. Post MLF, sulphur dioxide is added, and the wines mature sur lie for 8 months. The wine is a blend of 32% early picked Tinta Barroca; 18% Touriga Nacional co-fermented with 5% Donzelinho Branco, 20% Malvasia, 14% Gouveio, and 11% Rabigato. Each variety brings unique attributes to the final blend: Tinta Barroca brings juicy, vibrant red fruits; Touriga Nacional brings perfume and lift; with Donzelinho Branco, Rabigato, Malvaisa, and Gouveio augmenting the aromatics and bringing lively acidity.
Producer: Quinta da Pedra Alta
Winemaker: João Pires & Matt Gant
Region: Douro (Cima Couro)
Style: Red
Grape Varietals: Tinta Barroca, Malvasia, Touriga Nacional, Gouveio, Rabigato, Donzelinho
Tasting Notes: Vibrant light red. Red fruit with lifted aromatics and spice. Crunchy red fruited wine, bursting with herbs and spices and refreshing acidity.
Pairing: Grilled sardines, Grilled squid, Pizza
Ratings: Coming Soon
Pedra No. 03 is a fresh, elegant, versatile White Port, made from a blend of premium white grapes from our highest vineyards. Serve chilled as an aperitif; over ice as a PedraTonica, with tonic water, a slice of orange, and a sprig of mint for a refreshing long drink; or as an alternative to gin in cocktails.
Once the grapes are picked, our aim throughout is to preserve the aromatics and fresh flavours by gentle handling and by keeping the fruit and juice as cool as possible. Picked early in the morning, the grapes are whole bunch pressed as soon as they arrive at the winery, and the juice is drained off immediately. The juice is then fermented by wild yeasts at 15ºC so that the wine maintains primary fruit aromas and flavours, and spirit is then added at the appropriate time to stop the fermentation. The wine is then matured sur lie in stainless steel tanks, before blending and bottling. Throughout the process, minimal handling and attention to detail ensure that the delicate aromatics are not compromised. The unique character of this white port is derived from utilising some of the best grapes on the estate to make the core of the blend from the current vintage, combined with a splash of older material to provide balance and extra character.
Producer: Quinta da Pedra Alta
Winemaker: João Pires & Matt Gant
Region: Douro (Cima Couro)
Style: Fortified
Grape Varietals: Rabigato, Gouveio, Viosinho, Donzelinho
Tasting Notes: Pale straw color. Fresh citrus fruit and apple aromas, with licorish and tropical notes. Refreshing citrus and pineapple flavours with a great body and a long finish.
Pairing: Aperitif
Ratings: Coming Soon
After five years of Prova, we decided to include the wine in our portfolio as QPA Touriga Nacional Rosé. It is a wine with aromas of red fruits and a subtle floral touch, produced and bottled especially for Isabelle, the owner of Quinta da Pedra Alta.
The year was marked by a rainy winter and a mild spring, favouring grape development. Cool summer nights with moderate temperatures helped preserve grape acidity. The harvest was a prolonged one, starting on August 21 with white grapes and ending on October 4 with reds, ensuring balanced ripening. The 2024 wines show great potential, with excellent aromatic intensity and ripe, well-integrated tannins.
Once the grapes are picked, our aim throughout is to preserve the aromatics and fresh flavours by gentle handling and by keeping the fruit and juice as cool as possible. Picked early in the morning, the grapes are whole bunch pressed as soon as they arrive at the winery, and the juice is drained off immediately. The juice is then fermented by wild yeasts at 18ºC so that the wine maintains primary fruit aromas and flavours. Throughout the process, minimal handling and attention to detail ensure that the delicate aromatics are not compromised. The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged for 5 months sur lie in stainless steel tanks and used 500-liter barrels, before being blended and bottled at the end of January.
Producer: Quinta da Pedra Alta
Winemaker: João Pires & Matt Gant
Region: Douro (Cima Couro)
Style: Rosé
Grape Varietals: Touriga Nacional
Tasting Notes: Pale salmon color. Delicate aromas of red fruits, together with a floral lift. Bursting with strawberries and raspberries with great texture and a sustained finish.
Pairing: Oysters, sushi, oven-baked fish
Ratings: Coming Soon
Alta No. 10 is an elegant, luscious, complex Tawny Port, made in our traditional granite lagars, aged in old casks, and ready to drink now. Serve lightly chilled as a perfect accompaniment to chocolate desserts, strong cheese, or delicious on its own.
The grapes are handpicked, hand-sorted, and destemmed into granite lagars, where they are foot-stomped for up to four hours. The must is then fermented by wild yeasts at temperatures ranging from 20-25°C, and spirit is then added at the appropriate time to stop fermentation. At the end of the maceration, the ferments are drained, pressed, and transferred to old port casks to undergo maturation, before eventual blending and bottling. As with all ports, blending is the key, and we use a variety of aged parcels, with different levels of sweetness and acidity, including a small proportion of some really old barrels (at least 40 years old). The aim is to deliver an elegant, complex Ten-Year-Old Tawny style where the sweetness takes a back seat and the Pedra Alta acidity provides the focus. This is the first Ten-Year-Old produced on the estate and is a fitting tribute to the positive impact João has had on the estate since he started in 2009.
Producer: Quinta da Pedra Alta
Winemaker: João Pires & Matt Gant
Region: Douro (Cima Couro)
Style: Fortified
Grape Varietals: Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca
Tasting Notes: Tawny color. Very complex aroma, showing lots of dried fruits, toffee, caramel, and cask notes. Luscious, complex tawny with a velvety texture and a refreshing finish.
Pairing: Chocolate delice, sticky toffee pudding, strong sheep’s milk cheese.
Ratings: Coming Soon
Quinta da Pedra Alta Tinto Reserva is a complex, rich, oak-matured Douro red, made from a blend of selected parcels from the best sites on the Quinta.
In 2020, average Spring rainfall and above-average temperatures combined to bring forward bud burst by up to three weeks. Heatwaves through the summer resulted in below-average yields and an early start to harvest. But the elevation of our vineyards (250 to 400 masl), combined with the low yields, resulted in full-flavoured wines with good structure and balanced acidity.
Once the grapes are picked, our aim throughout is to preserve the fruit flavours and avoid over-extraction by gentle handling. The grapes are handpicked, hand sorted, destemmed, and fermented by wild yeasts at temperatures ranging from 20-25°C for 10-12 days on skins. The fermentation is managed by a variety of techniques depending on the fermentation vessel used. Foot treading followed by gentle plunging is employed on granite lagar ferments, whilst open top stainless steel tank/picking bin ferments are simply plunged. At the end of the maceration, the ferments are drained/pressed, and transferred to a combination of new French oak puncheons, hogsheads, and barriques (66%) and old French oak puncheons and barriques (34%) to undergo MLF. Post MLF, sulphur dioxide is added, and the wines mature sur lie for 20 months before being blended. Each varietal wine/parcel brings unique attributes to the final blend. In a warm year, Touriga Nacional from the highest elevations of the quinta brings along a textured palate with luscious red and blue fruits; Touriga Franca from the lowest elevations of the quinta brings mid-palate weight and structure with rich black fruits and meaty characters, and Sousao brings deep colour and lively acidity. Once blended, the wine was bottled in September 2022.
Producer: Quinta da Pedra Alta
Winemaker: João Pires & Matt Gant
Region: Douro (Cima Couro)
Style: Red
Grape Varietals: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca, Sousão
Tasting Notes: Dark plum. Red, blue, and black fruits, with meaty, spice notes and smoky oak complexity. Luscious and fruit-laden wine, with a long textured palate, and balanced acidity.
Pairing: Favas com chouriço (Fava Beans with chorizo), Arroz de Cabidela
Ratings: Coming Soon
In 2020, average Spring rainfall and above-average temperatures combined to bring forward bud burst by up to three weeks. Heatwaves through the summer resulted in below-average yields and an early start to harvest. But the elevation of our vineyards (250 to 500 masl), combined with the low yields, resulted in full-flavoured wines with good structure and balanced acidity.
Once the grapes are picked, our aim throughout is to preserve the fruit flavours. The grapes are handpicked, hand-sorted, destemmed, and fermented by wild yeasts at temperatures ranging from 20-25°C for 10 days on skins. Foot treading followed by gentle plunging is employed on both 1-ton bin and granite lagar ferments. At the appropriate time, a clean spirit (to give the best fruit expression) and sulphur dioxide is added to stop the fermentation, after which the ferments are drained/pressed, and transferred to stainless steel tanks, where the wine matures for 20 months before being blended. As ever, the blend is key. Grapes closer to the river give us the concentration, whilst grapes from our highest elevations bring vibrant fruit characters and aromatics. Once blended, the wine was bottled in March 2023.
Producer: Quinta da Pedra Alta
Winemaker: João Pires & Matt Gant
Region: Douro (Cima Couro)
Style: Fortified
Grape Varietals: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Sousão, Tinta Barroca
Tasting Notes: Deep ink color. Red, blue, and black fruits, with chocolate, spice notes, and lifted aromatics. Rich, restrained, elegant style with a complex, seamless palate.
Pairing: Strong cheese (stilton), chocolate dessert, coffee
Ratings: Coming Soon
Quinta da Pedra Alta Reserva Branco is a complex, textured, barrel-fermented Douro white made from a blend of indigenous premium grape varieties from our highest vineyards.
A very dry growing season, along with above-average temperatures through the summer, combined with very low yields to cause rapid ripening across the Douro. Nevertheless, at Quinta da Pedra Alta, our elevation and better yields resulted in a more gradual ripening curve, which allowed us to pick whites with full flavour and good acidity.
Once the grapes are picked, our aim throughout is to preserve the aromatics and fresh flavours by gentle handling and by keeping the fruit and juice as cool as possible. Picked early in the morning, the grapes are whole bunch pressed as soon as they arrive at the winery, and the juice is drained off immediately. The juice is then fermented by wild yeasts at 20ºC so that the wine maintains primary fruit aromas and flavours. Throughout the process, minimal handling and attention to detail ensure that the delicate aromatics are not compromised. Fermented to dryness in a combination of new and old French oak puncheons, the wines were matured sur lie for 10 months before being blended. Each varietal wine brings unique attributes to the final blend. Viosinho (an early ripening variety, thus planted on a north-facing slope in order to gain even greater depth of flavour) brings texture and length with pear and nectarine flavour, Gouveio brings mid palate weight with passion fruit and pineapple flavours, and Donzelinho brings citrus fruits and lively acidity. Once blended, the wine was bottled in July 2023.
Producer: Quinta da Pedra Alta
Winemaker: João Pires & Matt Gant
Region: Douro (Cima Couro)
Style: White
Grape Varietals: Viosinho, Gouveio, Donzelinho
Tasting Notes: Pale yellow with green hues. Seductive aromas of white fruits, with a touch of smoky wood. A long-textured palate of citrus, stone fruit, and tropical flavours, balanced with lively acidity and savoury complexity
Pairing: Peixe ao sal (salt-baked sea bass), Joelho de porco
Ratings: Coming Soon
João Pires - Winemaker
João Pires is the dedicated winemaker at Quinta da Pedra Alta, a historic and dynamic estate nestled in the Cima Corgo sub-region of the Douro Valley. Born and raised in the Favois Douro, João has an intimate, lifelong connection to the land and its winemaking traditions, having spent over a decade at Quinta da Pedra Alta since 2009, and previous years working at various Port houses.
Known for his meticulous and inquisitive approach, João is driven by a desire to craft wines that authentically reflect the unique Douro terroir, utilizing the estate's diverse vineyards which range in altitude from 230 to 650 meters. Since 2009, he has worked in close collaboration with consultant winemaker and partner, Matt Gant (of First Drop Wines in Australia), blending traditional Douro expertise with modern, global experience. This partnership has resulted in an elegant, fresh, and complex range of Douro DOC table wines and Ports, solidifying João Pires' reputation as a key innovator in the region's contemporary wine scene. He is constantly exploring new methods, including experimental vessels like terracotta and concrete, to push the boundaries of quality and expression in his wines.
Matt Gant - Winemaker
Matt Gant is a distinguished winemaker known for his contributions at First Drop Wines in the Barossa Valley, Australia. In 2007, during a vintage in the Alentejo region of Portugal, he met João Pires, and they have since collaborated on harvests in both Portugal and Australia each year. Captivated by the stunning landscapes and winemaking potential of the Douro Valley, Matt is not only part owner but has become an integral part of Pedra Alta, where he plays a crucial role in harvests, blending, and all winemaking decisions alongside João.
A childhood friend of the owner, Matt's enthusiasm for the Douro is infectious. He is dedicated to exploring the unique possibilities that the region's indigenous grapes offer, recognizing the area's growing international reputation, its historic vineyards, and its breathtaking beauty. Prior to his work at Pedra Alta, Matt honed his skills at St Hallett as well, where he specialized in varietals such as Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz. Together with João Pires, Matt continues to push the boundaries of winemaking at Quinta da Pedra Alta, making a significant impact in the industry.
