Company

Casa Ermelinda Freitas has been producing wine since 1920.
The 550 hectares of vineyards are located in Fernando Pó, a prime area in the region of Palmela, 60% of which is dedicated to the Castelão variety, 20% to red varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Syrah, Aragonês, Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Franca, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Trincadeira, Petite Sirah, Carmenére, Moscatel Roxo, and 20% to white grapes, such as Fernão Pires, Chardonnay, Arinto, Verdelho, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscatel de Setúbal, Viosinho, Encruzado, Alvarinho, Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Vermentino and Gewürztraminer, making a total of 29 different varieties currently being cultivated at Casa Ermelinda Freitas.

The soil of these vineyards, located in the south of Portugal, is composed of sands very similar to beach sands and is very rich in water, which plays an important role in the maturation of the grapes. The surrounding river breezes refresh the vineyards during the dry summers, affording the wines smoothness and elegance. It is in these sandy soils that the Castelão prospers. The characteristic variety of the Setúbal Peninsula composes 40% of the vineyards of Casa Ermelinda Freitas. Each prize won also marks a milestone, in particular the 2005 Syrah, which was considered the best red wine in the world in the 2008 edition of the Vinalies Internationales contest, in Paris. Today, Casa Ermelinda Freitas has already won more than 900 prizes in national and international competitions.

History

The winery was established in 1920 by Leonilde Freitas, continued by his granddaughter, Germana Freitas, and later by his great-granddaughter, Ermelinda Freitas, to whom Casa Ermelinda Freitas owes its name. With the premature death of her husband, Manuel João de Freitas, Ermelinda Freitas continued to manage the company with her only daughter, Leonor Freitas, who took command and consolidated the tradition of having women running the company.

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Vineyards

The vineyards of Casa Ermelinda Freitas are located in Fernando Pó, in the prime area of Palmela, Setúbal Peninsula. At the beginning there were 60 ha of vineyards with only two varieties: Castelão and Fernão Pires, located in Fernando Pó in the region of Palmela, Leonor Freitas, with her innovative and distinctive spirit, introduced a range of varieties, such as Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Aragonês, Syrah and Alicante Bouschet, among others.

Today, Casa Ermelinda Freitas has 550 hectares of vineyards: 60% is dedicated to the Castelão variety, 20% to red varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Syrah, Aragonês, Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Franca, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Trincadeira, Petite Sirah, Carmenére, Moscatel Roxo, and 20% to white grapes, such as Fernão Pires, Chardonnay, Arinto, Verdelho, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscatel de Setúbal, Viosinho, Encruzado, Alvarinho, Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Vermentino and Gewürztraminer, making a total of 30 different varieties currently being cultivated at Casa Ermelinda Freitas.