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Perfecting the Art of Portuguese Winemaking
for Nearly 200 Years
Established in 1834, family-owned J.M. da Fonseca is one of Portugal’s best-known and most historic wine producers. While Portugal has long been renowned for its sweet Port wines, the country is fast gaining a reputation for high quality dry wines made from a range of distinctive native grape varieties. Innovation and tradition are the driving force behind these delectable wines.
The Fernandes Soares Franco winery was established in 1999 and inaugurated in 2001 by the President of the Republic. This state of the art winery is entirely computerized however maintains time-honored methods of winemaking dating back to the early 1900s.
J.M. da Fonseca has been owned and managed by the Soares Franco family for seven generations. Father and son team Antonio Soares Franco, Sr. and Antonio Maria S. Franco, Jr. stand at the helm, together with lead winemaker Domingos Soares Franco (brother and uncle, respectively, to Antonio Sr. and Antonio Jr.). Domingos holds the distinction of being the first Portuguese national to graduate in fermentation sciences from California’s U.C. Davis. He couples a modern perspective with a respect for Portuguese tradition in all of his winemaking initiatives.
Best known for their Periquita and Periquita Reserva from the Setubal Peninsula, the family also produces dry wines from the Douro Valley (Domini and Domini Plus) and Vinho Verde (Twin Vines). Together, they are an excellent representation of the diversity Portugal offers today.
Periquita and
Periquita Reserva: For more than 150 years and created by J.M. da Fonseca in 1850, Periquita is made from the Castelão (KAH-stay-lao) grape, an indigenous variety that thrives in southern Portugal and has become nearly synonymous with the highly regarded wines of this historic producer.
Domini: Domini is a remarkable and ambitious joint venture between winemaker Domingos Soares Franco of J.M. da Fonseca and winemaker Cristiano Van Zeller, a member of Portugal’s famed “Douro Boys,” an elite group of cutting-edge producers of ports and table wines from Portugal’s Douro Valley. The objective was to create two superb quality red wines, Domini and Domini Plus, illustrating the world-class potential and versatility of Douro Valley grapes.
Twin Vines: Twin Vines is a delightful new Vinho Verde that represents the latest wine to debut from J.M. da Fonseca. Learn more about the inspiration behind this unique addition here. |
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Manor House Museum
Tour the original 19th century estate to bring you through the journey of the company’s inception 200 years ago to the present date.
It showcases the history, business and values of the Soares Franco
generations until 1974. While on the tour, you will learn of the company’s history followed by a walkthrough of three old cellars.
It will commence with a wine tasting and the liberty of walking though
the tranquil gardens which surround the estate.
- 100% Family owned and run
- Turnover: 24 million euro
- Exports: 75% of production
- Leading export markets: US, Sweden, Brazil, Italy, Holland
- Present in 50 countries worldwide
- 33 brands of table wine and fortified wine
- Area Under vine: 683 HA
- The JM Fonseca wineries have many facilities within its cellars for business parties and meetings. Call or email for further information.
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