Following 10 years of loyal service at Niepoort as an oenologist, Luis Seabra started his own project in 2012. What he liked to do for others, he now does for himself. Not having his own vineyard, he decides to approach some winegrowers of the Alto Douro. In August, while all Portugal is on vacation, Luis puts on his boots and goes looking for vineyards off the beaten track. Indeed, he discovers several small producers with “vinhas velhas” (very old vines) who use an old method of co-plantation. He also makes sure to do business with winemakers who do not use any synthetic products or herbicides. After arranging some verbal agreements, he proceeds to make his wine.
His CRU range reflects his philosophy; raw and pure wines that fully reflect the terroir of the different regions of the Douro. His Vinho Verde, for example, is called Xisto Cru, recalling the shale soils from where the alvarinho grows. He intervenes very little during the vinification process, without “punching down” or “pumping over”, and letting spontaneous fermentations occur from indigenous yeasts. Most of his wines are aged in used French oak barrels so as not to over-mark the wine and help maintain purity.
