Text Patrícia Leite 

The village of Provesende, set in the heart of the Alto Douro Wine Region, UNESCO world heritage site, is by nature linked to the history of wine. It is located in the county of Sabrosa, land of noble families who thrived on power and influence in the XVIII century with the production and commerce of wine. It is said that the idea of the creation of the Douro Region, implemented by the Marquis of Pombal in 1756, was born in this county.

Besides having a major role in the creation of Douro Valley culture and landscape, Provesende has an unusual heritage density, including several manors and a Pillory of 1578. At this Vineyard Village we find one of 13 manors of the XVII century, the house Casa da Calçada, which was classified as a Public Interest Realty in 2009. This house shelters the wine tourism project Morgadio da Calçada since January 2013.

Fonte:www.morgadiodacalcada.com

The manorial building and the chapel are complemented by the agricultural outbuildings, forming a courtyard with a gateway. This realty set is the type “noble house in the countryside” and an emblematic space of the Douro region. Casa da Calçada has also been recognized by its historical role (and the role of related personalities) in the construction of Douro’s culture and landscape. This “journey to the past” is a distinctive characteristic of the Morgadio da Calçada project.

For its excellence, the Great Wine Capitals (a global network of ten internationally well-known wine regions) granted to this wine tourism unit the Best of Wine Tourism Award 2014 in the category Architecture and Landscapes. Morgadio da Calçada is one of 5 projects considered the best of the Portuguese wine tourism.

The unit has 8 rooms located in the old stables and agricultural warehouses, which were recovered in a contemporary way with Portuguese materials and objects of the best quality, offering all the comfort and privacy with the charm of old rural buildings.

Fonte:www.morgadiodacalcada.com

The old kitchen of the farm workers was transformed into a cozy living room, where we can spend the winter evenings by the fireplace and enjoy the fresh breeze of summer from the courtyard. From the living room we see and accede to the beautiful landscape of the vineyards from which the wines “Morgadio da Calçada” are obtained.

In the present kitchen everything was designed to share with the visitors the gastronomic pleasure and tradition of the family in the preparation of the old recipes of Casa da Calçada’s cooks, with ingredients from the kitchen garden and the region.

Fonte:www.morgadiodacalcada.com

Outside, the space is quiet and pleasurable, shaded by large trees and with little corners that invite us to relax. The pool also makes a difference: it was built within the ruins of an old warehouse of the estate, staying in our memory for its originality.

Fonte:www.morgadiodacalcada.com

But the name “Morgadio da Calçada” is also the identity of several wines, always present in the customer service since the arrival to the unit.

Fonte:www.morgadiodacalcada.com

The wines are produced by Dirk Niepoort, under the partnership between Casa da Calçada and the Niepoort (Vinhos) SA company. Besides the Douro still wines with labels created by the Architect Siza Vieira, the brand “Morgadio da Calçada” also has 6 Port wines (Dry White, Tawny, Colheita 1998, Rubi, LBV e Vintage 2007), whose labels were designed by the Architect Michel Toussaint.

Fonte:www.morgadiodacalcada.com

A stay at the Morgadio da Calçada allows us as well to enjoy the experience of Provesende village, with grocery, bakery with an old stone oven (where bread is still baked), monuments and breath taking landscapes. At the wine tourism unit, it is also mandatory to visit the vineyards, the warehouses and the manor house, with large palatial halls. This is a way to know the stories of the family and the place, which are linked with the history of the Douro.

Fonte:www.morgadiodacalcada.com

After all, Morgadio da Calçada reflects the particular passion of its managing partners, Jerónimo Cunha e Pimentel and Manuel Villas-Boas, to share moments, spaces and stories to forever last in our memory.

Contacts:
Manuel Villas-Boas
mvb@morgadiodacalcada.com
Tlm +351 915 347 555
Tlm +351 937 745 886
Largo da Calçada/ Provesende
5060-251 Sabrosa, Douro – Portugal
Tel +351 254 732 218 | www.morgadiodacalcada.com