From the heart of the Douro River valley and Winner of Winemaker of the Year, Diogo Lopes is a man on a mission. He's dedicated to bringing local, heritage grape varieties to the forefront of modern winemaking. So, here’s a 100% Avesso but still classified as Vinho Verde. The south-facing, granite slopes are ideal conditions for the Avesso. The grapes are hand-picked grapes are destemmed, lightly pressed and left to settle for 48 hours. Cold fermentation in stainless still vats for 18 days then aged sur lies for 4 months with batonnage. So far, just the same as the Colheita, but  selected parcels of grapes, lower production and extra bottle age result in a richer creaminess as well as its fresh crisp palate and good structure and minerality.

Cazas Novas is in the north of Portugal, the wines are all made by Winemaker of the Year, Diogo Lopes, and mostly made from the Avesso grape variety which is rapidly gaining kudos in Portugal. But where did that story begin? The project involves a partnership with four entrepreneurs: Carlos Coutinho (agricultural and financial management), Diogo Lopes (oenology and viticulture), Vasco Magalhães (commercial management and marketing) and André Miranda (production and management). Quinta das Cazas Novas, Quinta de Guimarães and two other properties overlooking the Douro are properties of the Cunha Coutinho family comprising over 100 hectares, of which 24 are dedicated exclusively to viticulture of the Avesso variety. The first bottled wine appeared in 2008, with the curious total of 3333 bottles. The Baião sub-region is one of the nine sub-regions of Vinhos Verdes on the border with the Douro Region in northern Portugal, a 90- minute drive up the Douro from Oporto. Quinta de Guimarães is an idyllic spot with cottages available for holiday lets. We know, we’ve stayed there and it’s great!