Harvest Season

The Harvest Season commences on the final days of August when the first kilos of Tinta Negra Mole grapes are harvested and ends in the second week of October with the picking of the Sercial.

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Câmara de Lobos

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São Vicente

Our company acquires the Tinta Negra Mole grapes from Estreito de Câmara de Lobos (South Coast of the island) and São Vicente (North Coast). The Sercial grapes come mainly from Jardim da Serra and São Jorge while the Verdelho are bought in Prazeres, Raposeira and São Vicente. The Boal cast is obtained in Prazeres, Estreito da Calheta, Campanário and São Vicente while the Malvasia comes from São Jorge.

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Tinta Negra Mole - São Vicente

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Verdelho & Boal

In 2006 Barbeito bought nearly 300 tons of the various grapes, from 135 different grape-growers around the island.

Harvest season is the culmination of a painstaking process that starts 7 months earlier.

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Verdelho in Autumn

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São Jorge

In February, when pruning is initiated, we begin to visit the most important grape-growers. These visits continue along the following months so that we can accompany the growth of the vines and transmit our ideas to the grape-growers. In the 2 months that precede harvest we intensify our visits to the vineyards so that we can accompany up close the ripening and evolution of the grapes.

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Maturation Control

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Maturation Control

In some parts of the island, namely São Vicente and São Jorge, this undertaking is also done by our agents. They are in direct contact with the grape-growers on a regular basis. Agents are very important helping us in the advising work and helping farmers to produce the best quality grapes.

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Fátima Jardim - Prazeres

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José Carlos Oliveira - São Vicente

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Trevor Elliot, Jose Carlos and Bruno Oliveira - São Vicente 2010

A very close relationship between our family and our agents date back when our company was founded. Some of them, like us, belong already to the 3rd generation which is the case of Mr. José Carlos Oliveira, from São Vicente, whose grandfather was our first agent in 1948.

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Mr. Ernesto de Matos - São Jorge

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Afonso family cellar

To us quality is above all else, which is why grapes are crushed on the same day that they are picked. Most of the time, this implicates working overtime.

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Afonso family vineyards

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Mr. João dos Reis - Campanário

The grape-growers wait for us to verify the maturity of the grapes before they harvest them. In holding true to our company's motto, distances are not considered a barrier for us as we visit various vineyards situated on different points of the island on the same day.

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Roberto, Duarte e João Rodrigo dos Reis - Campanário

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Fajã do Padres

Harvest season is a very special time for Vinhos Barbeito. It is the testimony of a long work, shared alongside the grape-growers and their dedicated labour. We excel in obtaining the best grapes to make the best wines. For this reason we pay for grapes in accordance to their quality, which in turn is always an incentive for the grape-growers to produce the best quality grapes.

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Harvest in Fajã do Padres

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Eng. Mario Jardim Fernandes - Fajã do Padres

Harvest season also brings to mind the memory of those grape-growers long departed, who left there mark on a process initiated more than 15 years ago. This is the case of the Afonso family from Estreito de Câmara de Lobos or the family of Mr. João dos Reis from Campanário. Their descendants perpetuate their work with the same care and dedication as their parents before them. We take pride in the fact that this special bond between these families and ourselves has been passed down through generations.

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Agostinho Andrade Junior

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Agostinho A. Junior & Family

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Agostinho A. Junior - São Vicente 2010

In 2006 we harvested the famous Malvasia from Fajã dos Padres. Being there with the Jardim Fernandes' family, tasting their wines and strengthening this special and long friendship was an unforgettable experience.

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Verdelho Harvest

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Tinta Negra Mole - Agostinho A. Junior

Our biggest grape supplier owns his vineyards in São Vicente. Mr. Agostinho Andrade Júnior is very special to us. His most important goal is to produce the best quality of Tinta Negra Mole and Verdelho grapes. When harvest season arrives, his emigrant sons arrive to help. This ritual repeats itself every year at harvest time.

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Bringing grapes to the road

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Harvesting

We pay tribute to all of those who work with us during harvest season by featuring some photos where you can see that there is no set age for harvesting the grapes. This is hard work that requires great human effort.

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Harvesting

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Harvesting

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Harvesting

 

© VINHOS BARBEITO 2012