Text João Pedro de Carvalho

Near the Cabo da Roca (Cape Roca), where the land ends and the sea begins, situated on a hillside of the Serra de Sintra the Quinta do Casal de Santa Maria (Adraga) is located. The main house was built in 1720 and survived the great earthquake of Lisbon in 1755, the vineyard and the wine were part of the tradition of the property until 1906, then the decline and the complete abandonment of the heritage came. In 1960 it gained a new life by being acquired and rebuilt by the present owner, the Baron Bodo Von Bruemmer. His history is as fascinating as the Casal Sta. Maria and its wines.

Bodo Von Bruemmer was born in Prussia in 1911, escaped the Bolshevik revolution, lived in several countries in Europe, gained a law degree, was a banker and in 1962 arrived in Portugal where he fell in love with the Quinta do Casal Santa Maria, where he created the largest Stud of Arab Horses in Portugal. At 95 years of age after having undergone a delicate surgery, when recovering from the anesthesia he decided that he had to plant a vineyard.

In 2006 the most western vineyards in Europe were born, with the planting of 7.5ha of vineyard following in the tradition of the place which has gained new life as the Baron Von Bruemmer with his 103 years embraces a new facet of his life, to be a wine producer.

To better understand the wines, nothing better than visiting the vineyards embraced by a fantastic landscape with the ocean in the background. Stroll in the middle of vineyards and gardens full of roses or go up to the vineyard near Adraga beach and notice the very special atmosphere a result of the coastal area influence, cool nights, misty mornings and maritime breeze, that allows the wines to gain a very own identity at what is a unique terroir.

The winemakers are Jorge Rosa Santos and Antonio Figueiredo, a young duo responsible for the high quality wines produced there. A few red wines are produced here such as the Pinot Noir full of smoked bacon notes and acid red fruits with a lot of energy from the grape or the Ramisco de Colares a little bit more modern combining all the force characteristic of this variety with the good wood work that calms the Ramisco spirit down. However, my focus lies in the whites:

Casal Santa Maria Malvasia 2013
Very mineral and fresh aroma, delicate and precise with white flowers, pear and a touch of pepper at the end. Very well balanced in the mouth, great dryness to match for example, with a good grilled fish.

Casal Santa Maria Sauvignon Blanc 2013
Notes of asparagus and green pepper with minerality in the end, here we find a much more vegetable and dry profile, with a lot of freshness, citrus fruits and grass. Tasty with a good balance, feeling slight greasiness with a firm and long final.

Casal Santa Maria Reserva 2010
I really enjoy this wine, it shows very good evolution after ageing for four years, smooth vanilla to involve great fruit (peach, citrus) and flowers, greasiness in the middle with freshness in the end. The acidity takes control, good body with a very tasty passage in the mouth. Long and persistent finish, great freshness with a hint of minerality in the end.

Casal Santa Maria Malvasia DOC Colares 2011
Shows a more modern approach, oak barrel very well integrated hugs the beautiful acidity and minerality. Very elegant wine, great complexity, apple puree, very citrine with tisane, resin, crayon. In the mouth it is complemented with dryness in the background, very well balanced with dried fruit and savory in the background with a good final persistence.

Contacts
Rua Principal Casas Novas, nº 18/20
2705-177 Colares-Portugal
Tel.: (+351) 219 292 117
Email: geral@casalsantamaria.pt
Site: www.casalstamaria.pt