Vale da Capucha is located fifty kilometers north of Lisbon, in Lisboa appellation. The area, located about ten kilometers from the Atlantic, is cooler and wetter than most wineries in the country, which benefits the production of white wines.
Pedro Marques is the fifth generation of the family to produce wine in the area, but is the first to complete a training in viticulture and oenology. Upon his arrival in 2007, he immediately made major changes in the techniques of viticulture and winemaking in the field. First, he went against the local mentality and directed his activities in order to focus on quality rather than quantity. He planted a large part of the vineyard by choosing typical native varietals of Portugal and little used in the region. Upon his findings on the climatic conditions and the terroir of the region, he decided to plant predominantly white grape varieties. This colossal work allowed him to setup his operations according to modern principles of effective viticulture.
The soil that nourished the vines is composed of limestone and fossils from the movements of the continent and the Atlantic Ocean. In order to fully invest in a sustainable way, Marques has converted the area to organic farming. In 2011, he obtained the Ecocert certification. The grapes are harvested by hand and are then transported to the winery for a wine that follows the natural logic. No input is used apart for a small addition of sulfites. During fermentation, Pedro lets the indigenous yeasts do the work and limits his interventions.