THE NAME “PICOTES” CARRIES A STORY. HOW DID PICOTES WINES COME ABOUT, AND HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ESSENCE THAT BRINGS THE BRAND TO LIFE?

ANTÔNIO PICOTÊS: THE NAME PICOTES IS THE FAMILY NAME - PICOTÊS - BUT ADAPTED TO BE BETTER UNDERSTOOD AROUND THE WORLD AND MORE ADAPTED TO THE DIGITAL WORLD.

SINCE MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER'S TIME, THROUGH MY GRANDFATHER AND MY FATHER, OUR FAMILY HAS ALWAYS PRODUCED WINE IN A TRADITIONAL WAY. THE WINES WERE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR QUALITY AND SOLD LOCALLY, ESPECIALLY AT THE TABERN OUR FAMILY RAN – TABERNA CACHAROLO.

PICOTES WINES IS THEREFORE A FAMILY PROJECT, LOCATED IN THE INTERNATIONAL DOURO NATURAL PARK, IN THE TOWN OF SENDIM - MIRANDA DO DOURO, WHICH HAS ITS ROOTS DEEPLY LINKED TO THE LOCAL WINE-MAKING TRADITION.

TERROIR PLAYS A FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IN A WINE'S IDENTITY. HOW IS THE UNIQUENESS OF TRÁS-OS-MONTES REFLECTED IN EACH PICOTES WINE?

ANTÔNIO PICOTÊS: AS I EXPLORED THE WORLD OF WINE, I UNDERSTOOD THAT WHAT MY ANCESTORS DID WAS TRULY SPECIAL. THE VINEYARDS WE HAD WERE UNIQUE, AND I REALIZED THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE DISTINCTIVE WINES, CAPABLE OF STANDING OUT BOTH IN PORTUGAL AND AROUND THE WORLD.

OUR OLD VINEYARDS, WITH AN AVERAGE AGE OF BETWEEN 80 AND 120 YEARS, ARE A TRUE LIVING HERITAGE. THEY ARE COMPOSED OF NATIVE GRAPES, MANY OF THEM UNKNOWN TO MOST PEOPLE. THEY ARE FURTHER PLANTED IN A UNIQUE WAY: WHITE AND RED GRAPES GROW MIXED IN THE VINEYARD IN A COMPLETELY RANDOM WAY, IN A CLEANSING TREATMENT SYSTEM THAT GIVES THEM A UNIQUE IDENTITY. THE VINES, PERFECTLY ADAPTED TO THE TERRITORY AND WITH DEEP ROOTS, NATURALLY RESIST CLIMATE CHANGE, PRODUCING WINES THAT REFLECT THEIR AUTHENTICITY.

TRADITION AND INNOVATION OFTEN COMBINE SIDE BY SIDE. HOW DO YOU BALANCE THESE TWO WORLDS IN PRODUCTION?

ANTÔNIO PICOTÊS: OUR PRODUCTION METHOD REMAINS TRUE TO TRADITION, BUT WITHOUT ALLY OF KNOWLEDGE AND DEDICATION THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

IN BOTH THE VINEYARD AND THE WINERY, WE DON'T USE CHEMICALS. WE ONLY ADD A SMALL AMOUNT OF SULFUR AT THE FINAL PROCESS TO STABILIZE THE WINE AND ENSURE IT REACHES ITS DESTINATION WITH ITS QUALITY PRESERVED. WE MAINTAIN ANCESTRAL PRACTICES, SUCH AS STEPPING GRANITE PRESSES AND STRONG MANUAL INTERVENTION AT ALL STAGES, FROM HARVESTING TO BOTTLING.

OUR GOAL IS SIMPLE, YET PROFOUND: TO PUT THE TERRITORY IN THE BOTTLE. WE WANT EVERY WINE WE PRODUCE TO BE A PURE EXPRESSION OF OUR LAND AND OUR TRADITIONS. EACH BOTTLE OF PICOTES CARRIES WITH IT THE HISTORY OF OUR VINEYARDS, THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR ANCESTORS, AND THE PASSION WE PUT INTO EACH HARVEST.

IT IS THIS PHILOSOPHY THAT MAKES OUR WINES DIFFERENTIATING, SPECIAL AND AUTHENTIC. AND IT IS WITH THIS COMMITMENT THAT WE WANT TO PROVIDE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES TO ALL WINE ENJOYERS AROUND THE WORLD!

ARE THERE ANY CHILDHOOD STORY OR MEMORY LINKED TO VINEYARDS OR WINE THAT IS STILL PRESENT IN YOUR APPROACH TO WINE?

ANTÔNIO PICOTÊS: DIGGING THE VINEYARD DURING THE WINTER, PRUNING SHORTLY AND LATER (TO AVOID FROST), HARVESTING THE GRAPES BY HAND, TRANSPORTING THEM TO THE WINERY IN SMALL CONTAINERS TO AVOID CRUSHING THE GRAPES, TRESPASSING BY FOOT AND ALL THE CARE WITH HYGIENE THAT MY FATHER AND GRANDFATHER TOOK, IN ADDITION TO THINGS THAT HAVE ALWAYS IMPRESSED ME AND I KEEP.

BASICALLY, ALL CARE AND RESPECT FOR NATURE AND ITS PRODUCTS.

IF TERROIR IS NATURE'S SIGNATURE, WHAT IS THE HUMAN SIGNATURE THEY LEAVE IN EACH WINE?

ANTÔNIO PICOTÊS: I USUALLY SAY THAT OUR INTERVENTION IS MINIMAL JUST TO AVOID DAMAGE THE EXCELLENT RAW MATERIAL THAT WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF TRANSFORMING INTO WINE.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE EXTRA AND FUNDAMENTAL CARE THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE WHEN WORKING IN A TRADITIONAL WAY, SUCH AS HYGIENE AND CONTROLLING THE EXPOSURE OF WINE TO REDUCTION/OXIDATION PHENOMENA.

THIS AND OTHER WINEMAKING CHOICES WE MAKE, SUCH AS MACERATION TIMES OR AGEING IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONTAINERS, DEFINE THE FINAL PROFILE OF THE WINES WE WANT: ELEGANT WINES THAT ARE THE MAXIMUM EXPRESSION OF THE TERRITORY.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST REMARKABLE MOMENT SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF PICOTES WINES UNTIL TODAY?

ANTÔNIO PICOTÊS: IN “SENTIMENTAL” TERMS, WHAT MOST IMPRESSES ME IS NOT A MOMENT IN ITSELF, BUT FEELING THAT WE HAVE THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH (FAMILY, WINE GROWERS, FRIENDS, PEOPLE IN GENERAL) INCREASINGLY INVOLVED AND FEELING THE PROJECT. IT IS VERY REWARDING!

IN GENERAL TERMS, MAYBE THE RECOGNITION OF THE QUALITY OF THE WINES AND THE PROJECT BY MAJOR PUBLICATIONS IN THE WORLD OF WINE SUCH AS JANCIS ROBINSON, ROBERT PARKER OR JAMES SUCKLING ATTRIBUTING INCREDIBLE SCORES TO THE WINES AND PRAISE THE PROJECT. BASICALLY EVIDENCE TO THE EVERYONE THE VALUE THAT OUR WINES AND THIS SMALL TERRITORY HAVE.

DO YOU CONSIDER THAT THE TRÁS-OS-MONTES REGION IS STILL IN A PHASE OF DISCOVERING ITS POTENTIAL FOR WINE PRODUCTION, OR IS THERE STILL A LOT OF WORK AHEAD? IS THE PROXIMITY TO THE DOURO A STRENGTH OR A CHALLENGE IN ASSERTING THE REGION'S OWN IDENTITY?

WELL, THIS TOPIC HAS A LOT OF THINGS TO SEE…

BUT IN SHORT, I THINK TRÁS-OS-MONTES SHOULD ADOPT A PATH OF AFFIRMING ITS IDENTITY THROUGH WHAT IS TRULY TRADITIONAL AND NATIVE. I AM REFERRING TO GRAPE VARIETIES, TRADITIONS, VINEYARD MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, AMONG OTHERS, THAT WILL ALLOW US TO RECOVER OUR AUTHENTICITY AND DIFFERENTIATION.

THE PATH OF "GLUING" TO THE DOURO WAS A PATH THAT IN TERMS OF PROFITABILITY/COMMERCIAL IS UNDERSTANDABLE AND I RESPECT THOSE WHO DID/ARE DOING IT, BUT THIS IS NOT THE PATH THAT THE REGION IN GENERAL SHOULD TAKE. IT SHOULD ASSERT ITS VALUE AND FOLLOW A PATH OF COMMITMENT TO QUALITY, ALLIED WITH TRADITION TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG TERM.

WHAT WINE DO THEY CONSIDER TO BE THE TRUE EXPRESSION OF THE “HOUSE” AND WHY?

ANTÔNIO PICOTÊS: PICOTES PALHETE, WITHOUT A DOUBT.

PALHETE IS A WINE THAT REPRESENTS THE ESSENCE OF OUR LAND, THE WINE THAT ALL PREVIOUS GENERATIONS HAVE ALWAYS MADE, THAT IS: THE MIXTURE OF WHITE AND RED GRAPES AS THEY ARE IN THE CENTENNIAL OLD VINEYARDS.

IN TERMS OF PROFILE, IT IS A VERY DISTINCTIVE WINE: AN ALMOST TRANSPARENT RUBY COLOR, WITH VERY PURE AND CAPTIVATING AROMAS OF RED FRUIT, BEING VERY ELEGANT AND FRESH ON THE PALACE. YOU CAN DRINK IT WITH OR WITHOUT FOOD, MORE OR LESS FRESH. IT IS VERY VERSATILE AND ABOVE ALL, VERY TASTY!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE OPENING A BOTTLE OF PICOTES WINES FOR THE FIRST TIME? ARE THESE WINES THAT CAN BE CONSUMED AT DIFFERENT MOMENTS?

ANTÔNIO PICOTÊS: IF YOU ARE READY TO FEEL THE REAL TASTE OF WINE, WITHOUT CHEMICAL JUGGLES, YOU REALLY HAVE TO TRY IT! WHETHER OR NOT IT IS THE PROFILE OF THOSE WHO CONSUME THEM, I CAN GUARANTEE ONE THING: THEY ARE THE EXPRESSION OF THE TERRITORY AND ITS TRADITIONS!

PICOTES WHITE IS A MORE INTENSE AND GASTRONOMIC WHITE BUT STILL VERY FRESH AND WITH A MINERAL TOUCH.

PICOTES PALHETE, AS I ALREADY MENTIONED, HAS AN INCREDIBLE RED FRUIT SCENT AND IS SUPER VERSATILE.

PICOTES RED ALSO HAS A GOOD FRUIT AROMA BUT IT ALREADY HAS A VOLUME AND STRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS IT TO HOLD UP WELL WITH TRADITIONAL MEALS FROM TRÁS OS MONTES, SUCH AS POSTA À MIRANDESA.

PIÇARRÃO (RED FROM A SINGLE PLOT WITH MORE SHALE – “PIÇARRA” IN MIRANDÊS) IS A WINE WITH A MORE INTENSE AND EXTRACTED STYLE, BUT IN LINE WITH ITS PREVIOUS QUALITY IN TERMS OF ELEGANCE. IT IS A WINE WHERE THE WINEMAKING OPTIONS IN LESS USED BARRELS ARE REFLECTED IN THE FINAL STYLE.

WHAT DO YOU DREAM FOR THE FUTURE OF THE PICOTES WINES BRAND?

ANTÔNIO PICOTÊS: OUR FOCUS IS TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF OUR WINES YEAR AFTER YEAR. WE ALWAYS TRY NOT TO DISAPPOINT THOSE WHO TASTE OUR WINES AND OUR TERRITORY. IT'S A MORE COMPLICATED TASK THAN IT SEEMS, SINCE WE WORK IN A LESS INTERVENTIVE WAY.

ANOTHER DREAM WAS THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS WOULD CONTINUE THE FAMILY LEGACY. I BELIEVE SO BECAUSE OF THE ENTHUSIASM THEY SHOWED WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG!

FINALLY, MAY THE REGION BECOME A REFERENCE IN THE PRODUCTION OF WINES WITH QUALITY AND AUTHENTICITY!