An essay by Filipe Caldas de Vasconcellos, guardian of a 300-year-old vineyard estate in the Western Algarve.

SIP TRIPS

Morgado do Quintão has been in the same family, of the Counts of Silves, for generations. We, the current guardians, inherited it from my mother, who was an artist & professor & lived part of her life in the US but was deeply connected to the land. The estate was in good shape when it came to us but the vineyards, with almost extinct local grape varieties she was careful to maintain, were begging for more. We certainly felt a calling from the old vineyards & we made it our mission to rebuild trust & a reputation lost in the wines from this region when tourism totally took over. This was the place where wine come into the Iberian peninsula by the Phoenicians so we feel very driven & committed to bringing the Algarve up to speed.

Nowadays, I like to think we have worked hard to connect tradition with today. We’re strongly inspired by our family’s history in this place but are committed to bringing it into the future, respecting tradition while enjoying a sense of adventure in the way of going about it. Over time we have learned to respect the genuine objects, ways, & techniques that make Morgado do Quintão special, but we’re not afraid to look at these elements with a permanently renewed sense of interest & even awe.

It is these elements that have stood the test of time & must be respected & cherished so they may regain new relevance. From deciding to keep our old vines (which produce much less than newer ones) & going organic to being innovative in our labels, from bringing pieces into our cottages that have been around for more than 200 years & challenging artists to stay with us in residence so they get inspired in their creative pursuits, we’re attempting to close the gap between the past & the future.

We are a creative, thoughtful place, built with a combination of love for what’s beautiful & respect for what’s imperfect, all at once. Some of the topics we are keen to explore are around heritage & conservation, the countryside, health & wellbeing & creative curiosity, which provide a sense of purpose & meaning to the project—they build on our legacy, respect our sense of place but also help us create new possibilities for our community. We see ourselves as a platform for new things & don’t think of ourselves as the owners of Morgado do Quintão—we’re just here to look after it for the next generation, so they can continue on the legacy of their “traditionalist” predecessors.

Visit Morgado do Quintao in the West Algarve for tastings or a seat at the farmers’ table for lunch.