In 1896, The Viscount of Vilarinho de São Romão refers to Quinta do Monte Travesso in his renowned work on Viticulture and Viniculture - Traz os Montes - Alto Douro Central, in the following terms: “... this parish [referring to Tabuaço] has some notable estates, among which we shall mention that of Monte Travesso, largely reconstituted by Americans...” (in p.470). Based on this duly documented historical reference, the year 1896 was associated with its origin - QUINTA DO MONTE TRAVESSO - ESTD. 1896 - although we believe that the genesis is even older.
The farm has been owned by the same family since the time when Artur de Magalhães Pinto Ribeiro bought it in 1931. He later gave it to his daughter Margarida do Carmo on her marriage (Margarida was the daughter of Emília da Conceição Ermida - a beautiful blue-eyed lady and the aforementioned Artur de Magalhães Pinto Ribeiro, who was born in Travanca de Armamar on January 8, 1870; at the age of 22 he graduated in medicine and was a Navy doctor; he was also one of the founders of the Casa do Douro - “Paladinos do Douro” - and was its first President).
Quinta do Monte Travesso - “ARTUR” - is a tribute wine and one of the house's top-of-the-range wines. Because it is associated with a masculine personality, it is clearly a wine that is kept for a long time, muscular and austere.
Margarida do Carmo, She married Manuel de Nápoles Afonso de Carvalho, son of António Afonso de Carvalho - Captain of Sea and War (his uniform and estate are on display in the main hallway of the Quinta's house) and Judith de Barros Caupers de Sousa Nápoles - a lover of the Douro and the matriarch of the NÁPOLES Family, whose arms are displayed in the Quinta's logo and to whom homage is also paid with the house's other top-of-the-range red wine, produced in limited quantities and only in exceptional years: Quinta do Monte Travesso - “JUDITH” - because it is associated with a feminine personality, it is a red wine of elegance and finesse, but also with enormous ageing potential.
José Emanuel, the couple's eldest son, continued the legacy and made several improvements. The Quinta do Monte Travesso was classified in the Diário da República, with recognition from the IPPAR, as Property of Municipal Interest - the estate of the house together with its characteristics - House, Chapel, Wine Warehouses and surrounding Vineyards. The Quinta also began to have its own registered trademark and, in parallel with the production of grapes for Port wine, his son Bernardo Maria began the process of producing and selling DOC DOURO wine and olive oil under this brand in 1996.
Since then, Bernardo has been responsible for all the wine and olive oil production and also for opening the doors to wine tourism (BEST OF WINE TOURISM 2019 award - Sustainable Wine Tourism), thus making the Quinta, its history and its wines known. The most recent step in the project was the creation of COUNTRY HOUSES with private pools, with total comfort and privacy.
When you visit the Quinta, you can sometimes meet the producer's children (the eldest, also Bernardo Maria, and the youngest, Maria Constança) who are now the 5th GENERATION of this family that has always been linked to the Douro.
