If you want something done right, do it yourself. This was one of the founding principles of Quinta dos Vales’ newest project, The Winemaker Experience. A hands-on experience, which aims to turn Wine-Lovers into genuine Wine-Makers, each with their own privately owned vineyard. Basically, what they offer is to guide participants through the full wine-production process, offering them their winery and ongoing consultancy, but encouraging the participants to make their very own wine, to their own preferences. This ensures that these Private Wine-Makers take their decisions based on the same information as any professional winemaker, the only differences being volume, and the fact these participants can do so completely care-free.

Authenticity is the most important part of this project, the Private Wine-Makers are encouraged to take each and every wine-related decision themselves, as soon as they feel ready for it. The Quinta dos Vales team will execute the work and provide education and consultancy throughout. But when the time comes the participants are free to decide which wine to choose, when to harvest, which blend they prefer, how to age the wine, and so forth. Even including the decision of which bottles and corks to use, as well as designing their very own label.

The Winemaker Experience - Turning Winelovers into Winemakers!

Part of this work is handled theoretically, but the most exciting involvement are the hands-on experiences. During the harvesting period the work starts at 7am, and can go until the early hours of the following morning. The reason is simple, in the production of natural wine it is nature which leads the way, the winemakers are there to assist and optimise, but not to dictate. This is the journey on which the Private Wine-Makers are taken on, to not only gain an appreciation for this work, but to truly understand what exactly is done, and why it’s so important.

For the adventurous among you this could be the opportunity of a lifetime, being involved yourself, whenever you have the time join us and stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the winemaking team. Deciding which grapes to harvest, how picky to be on the selection table, which yeast to use, and so forth. Before any decision is taken the question posed to Private Wine-Makers is binary, are you ready to take a decision or do you have any further questions? This is the beauty of such an offer, not only are questions permitted, they are encouraged.